


Pressure Flip

by DrChickenSlinger



Series: Just Skating By [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: AU, Established Relationship, F/M, GaaLee, Just Skating By, LeeGaa, M/M, Multichapter, Panic Attacks, Part Two, Pressure Flip, mental health, skating au, social worker AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2020-11-28 12:43:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 96,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20966762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrChickenSlinger/pseuds/DrChickenSlinger
Summary: Pressure Flip: A skateboard trick where the skater puts pressure on the back of their board, causing it to flip in various directions.Part two of Just Skating By





	1. A Plan

**Author's Note:**

> You thought you'd seen the last of me, did you? This was the result of me talking to the wonderful [ManaBanana.](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManaBanana) I was telling her my ideas for an epilogue for Just Skating By, and she said that it sounded more like a part two. So here we are!  
HUGE thanks to her for her support of this fic and me in general. She is an amazing friend and I am very lucky to have her in my life. Another big thanks to [a_gay_poster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_gay_poster) for their unending support as well! Please check out both of their fics, it will be the best thing you do all day. ManaBanana is multi-talented, so she also has a Tumblr blog full of all of her amazing art. Check her out at missdetache!
> 
> Please note that this entire fic deals a lot with Lee's mental health and anxiety attacks. Every chapter will have at least a portion of it, but I will be sure to do cw for some of the more intense chapters. I hope you enjoy!

Lee stepped into the skate shop, a bell sounding above his head. He breathed in the scent of rubber as he made his way to the front counter. There stood his best friend Neji, his boyfriend’s brother Kankuro, and their nephew Shikadai. He watched as the baby crawled along the counter, finding any possible escape, no matter how dangerous it was. Shikadai had taken more after his mother than his father. He was fairly bull-headed and loved a challenge, even if that challenge was just attempting to escape the clutches of his overbearing, weird uncle and his boyfriend.

“Neji! Hello!” Lee called, smiling widely as he made his way towards them. Shikadai turned at the sound of his voice, quickly standing on his feet and waddling over to him. Lee scooped him up quickly, not wanting him to dive off the counter as he was prone to do.

“Hello, Shikadai!” he said, blowing raspberries into his cheeks. He giggled and smacked Lee’s shoulder, screaming “Yee!” the entire time. He couldn’t properly say his name yet, but Lee thought it was cute regardless. Even though Lee technically wasn’t his uncle, Shikadai was his boyfriend Gaara's nephew. They had been dating for his entire two year old life and anyone would admit that Lee was the favorite, even though he and Gaara weren’t married yet.

But, he was planning on changing that soon. Lee was going to propose. He had left work early that day to pick up a ring. He had spent a long time with the blonde sales lady trying to pick out just the right one. The night before he had sneakily measured Gaara’s ring size while he slept. He wasn’t entirely sure what ring he wanted to get Gaara, but the lady at the counter was very helpful. They decided that Gaara was fairly simple and didn’t like a lot of flashy things. She had suggested something silver or gold, but that still felt out of place when Lee thought about it. He had settled on a matte black ring, one that was still nice, but nothing like the massive ones heavily studded in diamonds. She kindly packaged the ring in a silky black box, wishing him luck. Lee’s stomach had been filled with butterflies ever since then. He slipped the ring into his pocket just before entering the skate shop, not wanting anyone to know what he was planning on doing. He worried, though, as he was terrible at keeping a secret.

The ring box felt heavy in Lee’s pocket. He constantly fluttered his hand over it, worried that it had somehow fallen out. But it was still there, pressing into his leg and his mind. He wasn’t quite sure exactly how he wanted to propose yet. He normally was known to do big, outlandish, romantic gestures, but he wasn’t exactly sure that’s what Gaara would want. Besides, it didn’t matter what Lee would want. This was about Gaara and how much he loved him. But how could he properly express that? Should he write a poem? Perform a song? An interpretive dance? His mind raced as he considered all of the possibilities. Growing overwhelmed, he tried to brush it out of his mind for the time being. 

“Hey, Lee. What are you doing here?” Neji asked, leaning over the counter on his elbows.

“Gaara is picking me up in a few minutes, but I needed to pick up some new trucks for a few of the children I work with!” Lee said, sitting Shikadai onto the counter.

“Lee, you’re going to go broke if you keep buying stuff for those kids.” Neji rolled his eyes. As much as he loved his friend, and was glad he was able to work with at risk youth as part of his skating program, he worried that he cared a bit too much.

“Neji, don’t be silly!” Lee said, laughing lightly. 

“Don’t worry, man, I’ll help you out,” Kankuro said, throwing a look at Neji. Kankuro and Neji ran the skate shop together. He had started out as an employee, but eventually was able to straighten out enough to prove he was capable of being a co-owner, something that Neji really needed once business had started picking up. Gaara had mentioned to Lee how glad he was that Kankuro co-owned the skate shop. He had struggled for years knowing what he wanted to do with his life, and now he had found it.

Kankuro and Lee walked through the aisles of the shop, chatting idly as they listened to Shikadai babble to Neji at the front counter. After finding the parts Lee needed, they headed back up to the front of the store. Another bell chimed as the store entrance opened. Lee looked over to see a flash of red hair that belonged to his favorite person.

Gaara.

Lee’s heart swelled as he watched his boyfriend walk up to them. No matter how many dates they went on or how much time they spent together, Gaara always gave Lee butterflies. He loved how bluntly he spoke, how nice he smelled at all times, and how his head rested perfectly on his chest. He was so in love with him. Everything about Gaara was perfect to Lee, regardless of what Gaara thought of himself. 

Lee bounced on his toes, waiting for Gaara to reach him. He had been more anxious than usual lately, causing him to get easily overwhelmed in regards to physical touch. Lee wanted to smother him in hugs and kisses, but he wanted Gaara to be comfortable even more.

“Hi, Lee,” Gaara said, smiling at him. He wrapped his arms around Lee’s waist, pulling him in gently for a hug. Lee wrapped his arms securely around Gaara, pressing his lips softly to the crown of his head. Gaara had once told him that he gave the best hugs in the world. Lee was very proud of that fact. 

“Hi, love,” Lee said softly, pulling back to look at Gaara. “How was your day?”

“Better than the rest of this week has been.”

Lee smiled down at him. “I am so glad.”

Gaara turned to Kankuro who had walked up behind Lee. “Waddup, ding dong?”

Gaara’s face screwed in disapproval. “Ding dong? Is that really the best you could come up with today?”

“It’s better than callin’ ya a little shit, isn’t it? That name is reserved solely for Shikadai.”

“You shouldn’t call the baby a little shit, Kankuro!” Neji yelled from the front counter. “That’s why he likes me more than you.”

“Bullshit! I’m his favorite!” Kankuro yelled back, huffing toward the front counter. Neji and Kankuro continued to bicker as Gaara slipped his hand into Lee’s. Lee looked down at him and smiled. 

“Can I kiss you?” Lee asked quietly, not wanting to pressure Gaara.

“Of course,” Gaara replied, smiling back.

Lee leaned down slightly, pressing his lips to Gaara’s gently. He smiled into the kiss as Gaara’s thumb brushed over the dimple sitting on the right side of his face. Gaara pulled back and pressed his forehead to Lee’s for a few moments. A tension in Lee’s chest that he hadn’t known was there before, dissipated.

“Do you have everything you need?” Gaara asked, eyeing the door. 

“Yes! Let me pay really quickly and then we can head out!”

They made their way to the front counter where Neji was picking up a roll of receipt paper. 

“Stupid kid…” he mumbled to himself as Kankuro high fived Shikadai’s chubby hand. Apparently, they had been working together to ruin Neji’s day. As he straightened, the door chimed for a third time, cueing the entrance of Lee’s foster sister, Tenten. She had been away at a skating competition the previous month and would be home for a few weeks. Lee had been overjoyed to see her, always eager to spend as much time with her as he could. They had both been placed in the same foster home when they were twelve and had been inseparable ever since. Lee was really proud of her for accomplishing her dreams and becoming a professional skater, but he would be lying if he denied how much it hurt to see her leave every time. Their shared house always got lonelier around then, but luckily, Lee now had Gaara to spend the night with him when he could.

“Tenten!” Lee shouted, abandoning his items at the counter. Her grin matched Lee’s as she ran to him, picking him up and swinging him around. Gaara sighed and shook his head good-humoredly, before pulling out his wallet and paying for the skateboard trucks himself.

“What are you doing here? Do you need a ride home? Gaara and I were just about to leave! Have you eaten dinner yet? We are planning on getting take--”

“Lee, stop talking, my brain can’t process all of those questions at once,” she replied, clamping a hand over his mouth. “To attempt to answer all of them, I’m just stopping by to say hi before I meet my new manager. I won’t need a ride and I won’t be able to eat dinner with you guys, which I’m sure will give Gaara some relief.”

“Tenten, don’t be silly,” Gaara replied, walking up next to Lee with his bag in hand. “You know I enjoy your company.”

Tenten laughed. “I know you do! You’re always fun to talk to,” she said with a smile. Gaara smiled and nodded back. Tears formed in the corners of Lee’s eyes as he looked back and forth between two of his most cherished people. Both Tenten and Gaara sighed at the same time, causing them to burst out laughing. Gaara wiped away the droplets, then grabbed Lee’s hand.

“New manager? You didn’t like the old one?” Gaara asked Tenten as his thumb rubbed across the back of Lee’s.

“Meh, he was fine, but he was pretty creepy. And old. Every competition we went to he would get thrown out for peeping. It was only a matter of time before I dumped his ass on the street.”

“Who is your new manager? Did you go with who Kakashi suggested?” Lee asked, his eyebrows furrowed slightly in concern. He constantly worried about his sister when she was away, sometimes even to the point of making himself physically ill. Knowing that her manager was a perverted old guy made things even worse. He was glad that he had taught her how to punch properly all those years ago. Luckily Kakashi, one of their foster dads, knew a different manager who was looking for new skaters. Lee knew for a fact that he would only recommend someone that Tenten would be safe with. It helped lessen some of his anxiety.

“Yeah, I did! She’s super bad ass and has been a pro skater for, like, a million years. She first joined when female skater representation was pretty much non-existent so she knows a thing or two. In fact, almost all of the skaters she works with are women!”

“Tenten, that is absolutely wonderful! I am so excited for you!” Lee said, dropping Gaara’s hand to pull her into a hug. 

“That’s great,” he heard Gaara say behind him. When he turned, he saw him looking at his now empty hand. Before Lee could say anything, he looked up at Tenten and smiled, then turned to walk back to the counter to play with Shikadai. Lee watched as he picked up the roll of receipt paper Shikadai had thrown, tearing a piece off and grabbing a pen from a cup by the cash register. He began doodling on it, eventually letting Shikadai take the pen to scribble nonsense over the small sheet of paper. Gaara leaned into the counter, his hand in his chin as he watched his nephew draw vacantly.

“Is he okay?” Tenten whispered to Lee, her face concerned.

“I am not sure,” Lee said, anxiously rubbing his fingers together. “He has had a hard time with his anxiety over the past few weeks. I do not know why, but I am going to try and talk to him tonight.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked, squeezing Lee’s hand gently.

“I will let you know if I think of anything,” Lee replied, squeezing her back. “Thank you, Tenten.”

“Of course. I’m gonna stay the night at dad’s to give you guys some time to yourselves. I know I’ve been around a lot and you guys enjoy your little sleep overs.”

Lee’s eyebrows raised in alarm. “Tenten! It does not bother me one bit to have you home. In fact, I love having you here! It is your house, too.”

Tenten snorted. “I know that, silly, but I also know that you love having Gaara there, too, and it’s not the same when I’m around. Don’t stress about it. They’ve wanted me to spend some time over there for ages. Although, it’ll probably just be Kakashi reading his books while Gai wheels around him, begging for an arm wrestle or something.” Tenten laughed, her nose wrinkling slightly. Lee joined her, laughing at the accurate visual. Sometimes it was hard to tell they were actually in love, especially with their whole “rival” facade, but they really did care for each other. It gave Lee high expectations for his relationships, expectations that had been met, and exceeded, by Gaara. 

Lee knew that he would never find anyone as perfect for him as he was. He would argue that he had been in love before, but never like this. He had never had someone who loved him so wholly and completely, in spite of all his eccentricities and quirks. One of the first nights they had spent together, Lee had woken up crying in the middle of the night for reasons he couldn’t remember. Gaara hadn’t been annoyed, and he didn’t go right back to sleep. He held Lee as he cried, soothingly brushing back his hair and murmuring comforting words to him. At one point he left the bed, bringing back water to help Lee rehydrate after the sweat and tears. Once he had gotten back into bed and returned Lee’s head to his chest, Lee felt more comfort than he had in his entire life. Throughout their time dating, Lee had found a home in Gaara, one that supported him, took care of him, and understood him as best as he could. All he wanted to do was make him his husband.

At that thought, Lee gulped then coughed, remembering the ring that was currently in his pocket. Tenten looked at him strangely, but he just smiled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He didn’t want to talk to her about it when he was standing only a few feet away from Gaara. He would wait until the weekend was over and Gaara had returned to his own home. Then they could further discuss it. Lee hoped that Tenten would be willing to help him plan the proposal out. She always helped to control some of his more outlandish ideas.

“Right… well, I should go. Enjoy your night, boys!” she yelled to all five of them. Shikadai burped in response, laughing at the noise that came out of his own mouth, which caused the water Kankuro was drinking to spray out of his nose.

“Bye, Tenten. Let’s go get lunch tomorrow, yeah?” Neji called lazily, ignoring Kankuro who was choking behind him.

“Sure thing!” she replied, her voice carrying as she practically skipped out the door. Lee turned around to see Gaara staring after her, a slight smile on his face. 

“Love? Are you ready to go?” Lee asked.

Gaara snapped his attention away from the door back onto Lee’s face. “Oh. Yes, if you’re ready.”

Lee nodded and smiled at him. “Bye, Neji! See you later!”

“See ya,” he called back, turning to see Shikamaru walk in to get Shikadai. Shikamaru and Temari, Gaara’s sister, had been dating now for five years. It had been an overwhelming, and slightly unexpected, experience for them to have a baby, but they were excellent parents. They also had a lot of very willing helpers, one of which was standing at the counter cleaning up the water he had just shot out of his nose.

“Hey, Kankuro,” Shikamaru said lazily, grabbing Shikadai off the counter. “Hey, kiddo. Did you have fun with your uncle?”

“Uncles,” Kankuro corrected, stressing the plural.

“Uncles? It’s just you,” Shikamaru replied. 

“Uh, no? Neji and I have been dating for almost as long as Gaara and Lee have, and you consider Lee the kid’s uncle!” Kankuro reached over and grabbed Neji’s hand, holding it up to prove a point.

“Ew, no we haven’t,” Neji retorted, ripping his hand out from Kankuro’s. Shikamaru rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. The three continued to argue as Lee and Gaara left the shop, hand in hand. 

Lee slid into the passenger side of Gaara’s car and looked over at him.

“Gaara? Is everything okay?”

“Yes,” Gaara replied shortly, turning the car on and backing out of the parking lot.

“It does not seem like it. I know you have been extra anxious lately. What can I do to help with that?”

Gaara sighed as he pulled out onto the main road. “It doesn’t really make sense to hide anything from you. I have been extra anxious and it’s making me really tired and sick. I’m sorry I haven’t been myself.”

“Please do not apologize, sweetheart,” Lee replied, taking Gaara’s free hand in both of his own. “I like you no matter how you are feeling. What can I do to help?”

Lee suddenly had an image flash through his mind. He was holding Gaara’s hand, much like he was right now. They were at the skate park and the big concrete bowl was filled to the brim with flower petals. He knelt at the side of it, describing all of the reasons he loved Gaara and why he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. He slid the ring out from his pocket. Gaara gasps and nods, smiling down at Lee. He stands up, pulling him into a kiss as they fall into the flowers, laughing and ready to start their new life with each other.

“Can we just get take out and spend the night in?” Gaara asked, pulling Lee out of his proposal fantasy.

“Of course, love. Tenten is spending the night at Gai and Kakashi’s, so we’ll have the house to ourselves.”

“Really?” Gaara asked, brightening a bit. Lee nodded and smiled at him. Gaara pulled Lee’s hand up to his mouth, kissing it a few times. Lee’s heart swelled for the hundredth time that night. He thought to the ring that was stashed away. Would it hurt anything if he just proposed right now? He could get it out of the way and they could start planning their wedding. He loved Gaara so much…

“Gaara?”

“Yes, Lee?”

Lee’s hand stopped where it was, halfway to his pocket. “Will you—” he paused. 

“Will you let me pay this time?”

Gaara looked at him somewhat quizzically. “Sure.”

Lee sat back, sighing internally. As much as he wanted to be engaged to Gaara, he wanted to put the proper thought into it, asking when the moment was one hundred percent right, and one thousand percent romantic. And even though he knew Gaara wouldn’t mind, the drive to get take out after a long and stressful week was not as romantic as Lee wanted it to be. Not even close. 

After Lee had paid for their dinner, they made their way home, Gaara humming along lightly to the radio. Lee wasn’t entirely sure what had changed, but Gaara’s mood was lifting ever so slightly. He hoped that the weekend would give him the chance to breathe and rest. Even though Gaara still lived with Kankuro, he spent a lot of time at Lee’s house, mostly so that Lee could take care of him and make sure he was okay. Gaara’s reasoning was the exact same, he wanting to make sure Lee was okay and taking care of himself. And it didn’t hurt that they were able to snuggle a lot more.

They made their way into the house, nudging each other playfully as they carried their bags of takeout. Once inside, Gaara set his bag on the counter and made a beeline for Lee’s bedroom. Lee looked after him confused, but brushed it off, setting his food on the coffee table and pulling up a movie for them to watch. Gaara came back out a few minutes later, wearing just an undershirt and a pair of Lee’s sleep shorts. Lee’s face reddened as Gaara took a seat next to him, placing his food on his lap and snuggling close.

“I’m glad it’s just us tonight,” Gaara confessed. “I’ve really missed this.”

Suddenly, it clicked for Lee. The past few weeks Gaara had been extra anxious was the time that Tenten was home for an extended amount of time. She had similar visits earlier on in their relationship, but Gaara hadn’t spent as much time at Lee’s house as he did now. He knew that Gaara and Tenten had a good relationship, but the correlation was uncanny. Tenten being home had made Gaara upset somehow.

“Gaara, has Tenten being home given you anxiety?”

Gaara paused, not looking at Lee. “No. Why would you say that?”

Lee placed their food back onto the small table in front of them. He gently lifted Gaara off of his side, placing a hand on his cheek as he looked at him. “Gaara, your anxiety got worse around the time Tenten got home. Please talk to me, I will not be upset. Has Tenten bothered you?”

“No, she hasn’t bothered me,” Gaara said with a sigh. “I love her, too. She’s now like a sister to me. It’s just…” Gaara paused. 

“Just what?”

Gaara sighed again. “It’s hard for me to feel completely comfortable around most people. When I come home, whether that’s here or at my own house, I prefer to have just those closest to me around, if anyone at all. It’s easier for me to unwind from the day. When Tenten’s around, I feel like I still have to ‘perform,’ if that makes sense. I like Tenten a lot, but I like you the most and it’s hard to get one on one time with you when she’s home. I’m glad she is, I really am. I don’t want her to leave and I don’t want to stop spending the night. I just… I just wish we had more of a chance to be alone together when she’s home.” He paused, looking at Lee anxiously. “Please don’t be upset.”

Lee nodded sadly. “I understand what you are saying, and I am so sorry that you have felt this way. Please know that I completely respect this. We will work on a compromise. When Tenten is home, I will make more of an effort to stay the night at your place once or twice, or make extra time for just the two of us! We can always lock the door to my room and watch our movies in there. It would be a bit cramped, but it would give us some alone time. Does that sound better?” Lee knew that often times his excitement for his sister to be home caused him to focus a lot on her and much less on Gaara. He never did it on purpose.

A small smile formed on Gaara’s face. “That sounds good. I’m sorry I’m such a hassle.”

Lee pulled Gaara into his chest, laying back gently until Gaara was on top of him. “You are never, ever a hassle, okay? I am so in love with you. I would do anything for you. I am sorry that I did not realize this before. Please tell me next time, love. I want to make you happy.”

“I am happy,” Gaara said, his voice muffled into Lee’s shirt. “It will probably just be like this until we eventually move in together.” 

Lee stiffened at that. “Well,” he said hesitantly, “why don’t we just move in together now?”

Gaara pulled back and stared down at Lee, his eyes wide. “But, Lee, Tenten still lives here. We can’t kick her out.”

Lee laughed, jostling Gaara. He crawled off of Lee, sitting back on his place on the couch. “We won’t kick her out! With this new manager she will be going on a lot of long, international trips,” Lee said. His stomach squirmed at that thought, and he paused in an attempt to calm it. “Besides, she knows we’ve talked about… about getting married, so she expects it sooner or later. I am sure we will figure something out.”

Gaara’s cheeks flushed pink at the mention of marriage. They had discussed it several times, and Lee knew by now that this reaction was mostly excitement and only a little anxiety, not the other way around. He would be lying if he pretended that it didn’t make him a little anxious, too.

“Okay,” Gaara breathed, staring at Lee. “Let’s do it. Let’s live together.”

Lee’s face stretched so wide that it hurt. He flopped Gaara onto his back, kissing every inch of him that he could reach. “I cannot wait!” he whispered into the crook of Gaara’s neck. They lay like that for a few moments longer, breathing each other in as their hearts raced. 

An image flashed through Lee’s mind. He was laying in bed with Gaara. It wasn’t just his bed now, it belonged to both of them. As he looked around their room, he could see additional pictures of both of them. His cacti and succulents had been set out on a little shelf next to his big window. Gaara left and later walked in carrying both of their favorite mugs, filled with tea from the little tea bar Gaara had set up in their kitchen. Gaara’s reading glasses sat on the bedside table next to a work report he had been reading before they went to sleep the previous night.

Needless to say, Lee was overjoyed knowing they would live together. How would he feel when they were finally engaged?

The smell of their food cooling reached their noses, prompting them to finally sit up and begin eating. They sat close together, their thighs pressing lightly as they watched their movie. Once they had finished their food, Lee laid his head onto Gaara’s lap, blinking sleepily as the movie continued to play. The sounds lulled his subconscious to a more relaxed state. 

“Lee?” Gaara whispered, jostling his head. He had slipped into a light sleep laying on Gaara’s lap. He had dreamed of a giant skateboard, riding down a hill into a sunset while Lee recited a poem to Gaara about his love. At the end of it, he pulled out the ring, which had somehow turned into a small takeout box. But Lee didn’t care. He was about to propose! 

Until Gaara had ruined the moment by shaking his head.

“Hmm?” Lee smacked his lips together and looked up at Gaara.

“You fell asleep. Let’s go to bed.”

Lee paused, remembering what had happened before he had fallen asleep. “Gaara, I am so sorry, we were supposed to spend tonight together and I ruined it.” Lee began to cry gently, the residual feelings from his dream and his tiredness pushing him to the brink of his emotions.

“No, Lee, it’s okay. We’ll go cuddle and then when we wake up in the morning, we can cuddle more, okay? And then I’ll buy you breakfast. And we can watch another movie. I’m sure Tenten will spend some more time at your parent’s place, so we’ll have plenty of time together. Please don’t cry.”

Lee sniffled and rubbed his eyes somewhat childishly as he stood up off the couch. “Okay.”

Lee bent down slightly to kiss Gaara as they stood in the living room. They threw away the takeout containers and turned off the TV. Once they had brushed their teeth, and Lee had gotten rid of his day clothes, he picked Gaara up, carrying him to the bedroom as he did most nights when Gaara slept over.

He placed him down onto the bed somewhat clumsily, his limbs still heavy with sleep. After he turned off the lights, he slipped under the blanket at the same time that Gaara did. His weighted blanket pressed down on him gently, enveloping him in a comforting pressure. He had invested in the blanket soon after he and Gaara had started dating. Their relationship added a new level of anxiety for Lee, and it helped him sleep more soundly at night. Gaara scooted closer to him, wrapping one arm underneath him and placing a hand to his chest. Lee pressed their foreheads together and gently kissed him on the cheek. The first night they spent together in the same bed had been slightly awkward. Both held their weight, worried about smothering or making the other uncomfortable. But now, they were fully aware of how the other moved and worked. They were able to be close to each other, their bodies fitting perfectly into place. The familiarity of it always comforted Lee, reminding him of how perfect Gaara was for him and how lucky he was to have him.

“I love you so much, Gaara,” Lee said, his eyes filling slightly again.

“I love you too, Lee.” Gaara gently brushed his thumb over Lee’s wet eyes, then over the dimple on his cheek as he placed a soft kiss on his lips. Lee mumbled about his day as he often would when they went to sleep, ending it with a long list of reasons why he loved Gaara. He began drifting off, moving to lay on his back and tuck his arm underneath Gaara. Just before he fell asleep, he felt the weight of him moving to lay securely on his chest. The weight of the blanket combined with the weight of the man he loved soothed Lee, helping him drift off into a peaceful rest.


	2. Demonstration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee deals with his anxiety and meets Tenten's new skate manager.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW for a descriptive panic attack 
> 
> Also wanted to bump this picture that KonanBases2 drew for Just Skating By! Thank you for being so lovely and drawing this!!
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/konanbases2/art/Skater-Lee-802865607

Lee blinked into the bright sun. He and Gaara sat on what seemed to be a very tiny island, surrounded by dark waves, rolling and crashing onto the dry land. Lee looked over at Gaara. He didn’t know what was going on or what would happen, but as long as Gaara was there, it was all going to be okay. Gaara looked back at Lee. He was crying. 

Lee panicked. Gaara almost never cried. 

As he reached out to try and grab Gaara so he could wipe his tears and hold him, an ear splitting crack was heard. The island beneath them split into two. As Lee began to drift away, Gaara continued to cry, staring at Lee getting farther and farther away. He attempted to jump onto Gaara’s side of the island, but was pulled under the waves. He began to sink quickly, as if his legs were weighed down with cement blocks. He ripped through the water, his lungs screaming as he tried to hold his breath. The last thing he saw was a flash of red hair as Gaara looked down at him. He did his best to swim up, but eventually gave in, opening his mouth and expecting to inhale salt water. Instead, he was greeted with a rush of fresh air as he sat up in bed. 

It had been a dream. 

His breathing quickened, a panic attack quickly following the nightmare he had just experienced. He shook as tears ran down his face. He didn’t know where he was at the moment or what day of the week it was, but he wasn’t drowning anymore and he wasn’t drifting away from Gaara.

Wait. Gaara.

In a panic, Lee turned to his side, he having completely forgotten that Gaara had spent the night. There he sat with a very concerned look on his face, one hand on Lee’s back and the other on his arm. He had been the one to wake him up. Lee hadn’t even noticed. 

“Lee, what’s the matter? Are you okay?!” Gaara asked, his breathing increasing slightly with worry. Lee shook his head, unable to articulate his feelings at the moment.

“Okay, hold on, I’m going to go get you some water.” Gaara made a move to get off the bed, but Lee firmly stuck an arm out, holding him in place. 

“Please stay,” he said, his voice a hoarse whisper. “I cannot lose you. I need you.”

Gaara’s face grew even more concerned. “Lee, I’m not going anywhere.”

Lee shook his head more insistently this time. “It is my fault. I gave up. I should have tried harder. I am not good enough for you. I should have been able to reach you.”

Gaara gently brushed Lee’s hair off his forehead, allowing the sweat that had collected there to cool. Lee leaned into the touch, still hyperventilating despite his best efforts. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he was worrying Gaara immensely. He tried to calm down, to hide his feelings. But he also knew that hiding them made Gaara worry more. The mixed feelings of being unsure of what to do made him further panic. He dry heaved and began to cry harder, unable to control the spiral he now found himself in.

“Lee, you need to calm down. I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere. I want you to tell me what happened, but we need to get you to a safer mental place, okay? Lay down.”

Lee did as instructed, but stayed as close to Gaara as he could without lying on top of him. Gaara removed the blanket, struggling a bit with the weight as he attempted to cool Lee’s burning body. He carded his fingers through his hair, brushing it off of his forehead and splaying it out on the bed sheet beneath him. Lee’s chest heaved and shook as his lungs tried, and failed, to properly process oxygen. 

“Lee, I need to go get you some water and your medication. I will be gone for two minutes. I want you to count the time for me. Try to breathe in time with your counting, okay?”

Gaara got off the bed and raced to the kitchen. Lee’s panic further heightened now that he was alone. Unable to do anything, and not wanting to upset Gaara, he lay in bed, whispering “no no no” over and over again as he began to get light headed. Gaara returned in less time than he had promised, water sloshing in a cup and pills clicking around in an orange prescription bottle. Lee had them for emergencies such as this when he had severe panic attacks, but hadn’t had to use them a lot recently. Luckily, Gaara knew exactly where they were and would check if Lee needed a refill every week when he came over.

“Lee, you didn’t count, did you?” Gaara asked, guiding Lee to sit back up in bed. At Gaara’s return, Lee was able to calm down a bit, but needed to control his breathing before he could take the medicine Gaara had placed on his night stand. Gaara gripped Lee’s hands tightly in his own and craned his neck to look into Lee’s eyes.

“Okay. Let’s do this together. Breathe in. Breathe out.” Gaara continued to guide Lee’s breathing, pausing when his breath shuddered or the hyperventilating picked back up. Once Lee had calmed down enough, Gaara handed him the luke-warm glass of water and a pill. Lee took both, tears still streaming down his face. He would be crying like this for a while, but Gaara always made sure he stayed hydrated. 

Once Lee had downed the full cup of water, Gaara helped him remove his sweat soaked shirt. He stood to quickly open the window allowing a cool breeze to flow through the room. Lee stared at him as he did so, unblinking, worried that he would disappear if he dared to take his eyes off of him. Gaara sat back onto the bed, crossing his legs. He picked Lee’s hand back up, keeping somewhat of a distance. He didn’t want to overwhelm Lee. Lee stared down at their conjoined hands, then grabbed Gaara beneath the arms, pulling him to sit on his lap. They leaned against the headboard like that, Gaara’s weight pressing down onto Lee. 

“Lee? Are you ready to tell me what happened?” Gaara asked, laying his head back onto Lee’s shoulder so he could look at him. 

Lee brought a hand up to his face and wiped his eyes. “I think so. I am not sure how much I will be able to tell you, but I will try.”

Gaara nodded, kissing Lee’s jaw gently. “That’s all I ask.”

Lee drew in a shaky breath. “You and I were on a small island. It broke into two pieces and my side started drifting away. You were crying,” Lee paused, a sob escaping his lips as the tears flowed heavier.” “I tried to jump out to get to you, but I missed and fell into the water. I started to drown and all I could see was you looking over the side at me. I knew you were disappointed. I knew you wished I had tried harder. But I could not make it back to you. I failed and left you alone.”

Lee’s grip on Gaara tightened as he sobbed. “I am so sorry, Gaara. You should be sleeping, yet here you are, comforting me after another ridiculous dream.”

Gaara sat up and turned to face Lee. He gently lifted Lee’s chin and looked at him. “Lee, you know I hardly sleep as it is. There’s nothing I would rather do than be here, talking with you. You are not a burden. You’re my top priority. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Lee whispered, wiping his eyes. 

“This won’t change, okay? I will help you through a million nightmares if I have to. We’ve been through this before, remember? But I’m still here and I won’t leave.” 

Lee thought back to the memory Gaara was referencing. A few months after they had officially started dating, Gaara had a work trip that required him to be away for a few days during the week as well as the entire weekend. He hadn’t thought anything of it, having gone on a few of these trips before, but it had affected Lee much more than he knew while he was gone. They would text occasionally, and Gaara made the effort to call him a few times, but that was it. When he got home from the trip, he had stopped at Lee’s house to surprise him and take him to dinner. When Lee didn’t answer, Gaara panicked. He knew he was going to be home, and both his skateboard and his car were outside. He found the hidden key and opened the door, running down the hall to try and find him. 

He found him in the living room, curled up and hyperventilating, similar to how he was now. Once Gaara had calmed him down, he had found out that Lee hadn’t eaten in days, worried sick over Gaara. He had known that Lee had anxiety, but didn’t know the specifics. Lee told him all about his separation anxiety, how when Tenten began leaving on her trips he had similar attacks. He had to get a prescription to help him control his anxiety, as well as go to therapy to cope, but he hadn’t been sure how to translate that into his relationship with Gaara. He hadn’t wanted to tell Gaara because he was worried that it would be seen as clingy. Luckily, Gaara had lots of experience in dealing with all kinds of anxiety, including his own, and they were able to talk about it and work through it. Lee still struggled with it, and most likely always would, but it was getting easier for him or Gaara to be away. Gaara never saw it as clingy, and always made sure to remind Lee of that fact.

“I know. I love you so much. I will not leave, either. It is going to be okay,” Lee murmured, more to himself than anything. He leaned forward, resting his head on Gaara’s shoulder. Gaara rubbed his back soothingly, kissing the top of his head as Lee’s tears soaked his shirt. They sat like that as Lee began to calm down. He sighed, frustrated that this had happened, but grateful that Gaara was there to help him. His lips felt swollen and his head began to ache.

“Are you ready to go back to sleep?” Gaara asked, kissing him on the head again.

“I think so.” 

Gaara laid back onto the bed, patting the space next to him. Lee breathed out a laugh, then laid down, his back to Gaara. He pulled Lee into his chest tightly, kissing the back of his neck and nuzzling his ear. The steady rise and fall of Gaara’s chest against Lee’s back helped ease him into a dreamless sleep, holding Gaara’s hand in his own. 

Hours later, Lee’s eyes opened, swollen and crusted over from crying for so long. Gaara’s body had remained a steady weight behind him, still holding Lee, though it had been a long time since they had gone back to bed. Lee drew in a shuddering breath, the aftermath of crying for so long. He grabbed the back of Gaara’s hand and pressed it to his lips gently.

“You’re awake,” he heard Gaara say from behind him. Lee smiled at the sound.

“I am. Thank you for helping me last night. I am sorry it lasted so long. I hope you were able to get some rest,” Lee said, turning around to look at Gaara who looked wide awake. “Oh my goodness, how long have you been up?”

“I’ve been up for about an hour now. I didn’t want you to panic if I left. But it’s alright, I got to enjoy some extra time holding you. Please don’t apologize, Lee. I was happy to do it. I love you, remember?”

“I love you, too,” Lee said before gently kissing him. He pulled back and pressed their foreheads together, smiling and catching the morning light in his dimple which prompted Gaara to rest his thumb over the small divot. 

“Breakfast?”

“Breakfast.”

After a few more minutes of cuddling and kissing, they got up and started getting ready for the day. Gaara put Lee’s prescription back in the cupboard, a place they both knew it would be. After getting dressed, they walked out to Gaara’s car, hand in hand. Once they had arrived at the restaurant, they sat opposite of each other and ordered their food. Once their menus had been taken, they sat and talked, one hand clasped with the other over the table.

“So, what would you like to do today, Lee? We have some time by ourselves,” Gaara asked, sipping his water.

“I think I would like to cuddle on the couch with you while we watch a movie, then maybe take a nap after.”

Gaara smiled and nodded. “That sounds like a great idea.”

They continued to chat as they ate, talking about their week and their families. Gaara avoided talking about what had happened last night, which Lee was grateful for. He often thought back to the feeling of floating away from Gaara and tears would form at the corners of his eyes. But, that wasn’t real. His reality was that he was now with Gaara, spending time with him as they argued about which was better, pancakes or waffles.

After agreeing to disagree, and once Gaara had made sure that Lee drank three full glasses of water, they left the restaurant, heading back home to enjoy a relaxing day in. Lee shrugged on his comfiest clothes and Gaara found his favorite green hoodie. They sat on the couch, Gaara leaning into Lee’s side as two mugs of dandelion tea sat on the coffee table in front of them. 

Lee still had a slight headache from the night before and his eyes would most likely be puffy for the rest of the day, but he was feeling much better mentally. He looked down at Gaara, only able to see his soft, red hair. He kissed it, letting the smell of Gaara’s shampoo fill his nose. If he could only smell one thing for the rest of his life, this would be it. Not for the first time, Lee became overwhelmed with how much he loved Gaara. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. He wanted them to travel the world, finding the most romantic places they possibly could. He just really, really, wanted to make Gaara his husband.

His heart began to race as he considered his options. Sure, the ring was currently in the other room, but would Gaara even mind if he proposed without a ring? Besides, wouldn’t Gaara prefer a more low-key engagement? He could make this work. He just needed to adjust slightly to be on the floor on his knee... 

“Gaara?” he said, shifting slightly off the couch.

“Yes?” Gaara asked, looking over at him.

“I--”

The sound of his cell phone ringing cut him off, ruining what could have been a very intimate and sweet moment. Lee sighed internally. He obviously needed to plan this out, otherwise it would never happen.

He stood fully from the couch, walking to the kitchen counter to grab his phone. He looked at the caller ID and saw Tenten’s face smiling brightly from it. Even though his moment had been ruined, he still smiled, excited to talk with her.

“Tenten! Hello! How are you?” he said into the phone. He walked back to the couch to join Gaara who laid across his lap. Lee began to run his fingers through his hair as Tenten talked.

“Hi, Lee! I’m sorry to interrupt, I know you and Gaara are probably enjoying your time together. Oh, tell him I said hi, by the way!”

Lee looked down at Gaara. “Tenten says hi!”

“Hi, Tenten.”

“Gaara says hi back,” Lee said, laughing lightly. Tenten snorted.

“Yeah, I heard. Anyway, I’m doing a demonstration for my new manager today at the skate park and was hoping you could hop over for a few minutes so we can show her that one trick? I want to show her how balanced I am. But if not, it’s totally okay! I don’t want to take time from you and Gaara.”

“No, that would be fine, Tenten! We will join you for a few minutes, then leave right after. How was your night with Kakashi and Gai?”

“Thank you so much, Lee! I promise I’ll make it up to you. The night was fine, it went just about how I expected. Although, Gai snores like a freight train, holy shit. Kakashi and I ended up hanging out in the living room pretty late playing Go Fish because neither of us could sleep and he didn’t want to play anything more complicated.”

Lee laughed. “That does sound like a typical night for them! I am glad you had the chance to go over there, though. They miss you terribly when you are gone.”

“I miss them, too.” Tenten sighed. “I’m gonna stay the night again tonight. Someone needs to keep an eye on these old coots.” In the background Gai could be heard protesting. Tenten yelled something back, which made Kakashi laugh. Lee smiled at the sound of his family together. 

“Okay, if you are sure. You are welcome back home at any time, do not worry about us!”

“Sounds good. Hey, I’ll see you at the skatepark, okay? I’ll text you the deets. I love you!”

“Sounds like a plan! Love you, too!”

After Lee hung up the phone, he bent over, kissing Gaara on the cheek multiple times. Gaara swatted him away playfully, but then turned to face him, pulling him down to give him a proper kiss.

“We’re going to the skate park?” he asked, looking up at Lee.

“Yes, if that is okay! You can stay here, of course, I would not want you to waste your day off doing something you did not want to do.”

Gaara smiled. “It doesn’t matter what it is. If I’m doing it with you, it’s not a waste.”

Lee smiled gently down at Gaara. He was so supportive and loving. What did Lee ever do to deserve the most perfect man in the world?

After finishing their movie, they got back into their regular clothes, Lee sporting an outfit that he could skate in. He volunteered to drive this time, after assuring Gaara that he was in a safe headspace to do so. After loading his skateboard into the car, he opened Gaara’s door and climbed in his own. He looked over at Gaara and started the engine, smiling brightly. Skating always put Lee in a good mood, something Gaara knew. Gaara smiled back, taking Lee’s hand in his own so they could still be close as they drove.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the skatepark. Tenten and their dads were already there, along with a tall, blonde woman who currently had Kakashi in a headlock. She rubbed her knuckle into his silver hair, laughing as she did so. Gai sat off to the side with Tenten, distracted as they animatedly talked about the routine Tenten would be presenting.

Lee and Gaara walked up to the group hand in hand, their arms swinging gently. When they got close enough, Lee let go of Gaara’s hand and got onto his board, skating as close to Tenten as he possibly could and did a kickflip, their way of greeting each other when they were younger.

“Hey, Lee!” she said, hopping on her board and returning the kickflip greeting. “I want you to meet my manager! This is Tsunade.”

The tall blonde woman released Kakashi from her crushing grip and smirked at Lee, holding out a hand. He took it and winced immediately, surprised at how strong her grip was. 

“It is so good to meet you! I have heard a lot of wonderful things about you. Oh! This is my boyfriend, Gaara,” Lee said, stepping aside slightly as Gaara walked up. Gaara maintained his usual stony visage and shook her hand. If she had crushed his hand as well, he gave no indication. Gaara was usually very poker faced, saving his smiles for the kids he worked with, as well as Lee, of course. 

“Nice to meet both of you. I’ve heard really great things about you, Lee. I’m excited to see you in action.”

“Oh, well, I will only be doing one trick! I am sure you will want to see Tenten for the remainder of the time!” Lee said, laughing lightly.

“Meh, I’ve seen her skate before. Funnily enough, she and your dad skate pretty similarly,” Tsunade replied, her brow arched.

“Oh, you’ve seen Gai skate before?” Tenten asked, looking at Tsunade.

“I mean, yeah, obviously. He and Kakashi were inseparable. But I was actually talking about your little punk of a dad, Kakashi. I used to be his manager when he first started skating. He was a bitchy little kid, too.”

“Kakashi, you skated professionally?!” Tenten asked incredulously, looking over at her dad who was rubbing his sore neck.

“Uh, yes? I’ve told you guys about it before. Does no one listen to me?” he grumbled.

“I listen to you, Kakashi! You were a truly youthful skater. An excellent rival for the likes of me!” Gai yelled, clapping his husband on the back. The height of the wheel chair and the space between them made it hard for him to reach, though, and he ended up slapping him right on the rear.

“Oh ho ho, Gai, not in front of the kids.” Kakashi wiggled his eyebrows at him while Gai spluttered. Tsunade turned back to Tenten and Lee, rolling her eyes. 

“Well, anyway. Let’s see whatcha got.”

“Yes!” Lee yelled, bringing a fist up in determination. He turned to Gaara and smacked a kiss on his cheek before turning back to Tenten.

“Shall we start with our show stopper?”

A mischievous grin found its way to Tenten’s face. “You fucking know it!”

Tsunade stood back, smiling with her arms crossed. Lee placed his board on the ground, standing on it. Tenten stood behind him then threw herself onto her hands, her legs hooking over Lee’s shoulders. Lee wobbled on his board slightly as he pulled her all the way up to sit on his shoulders. He redirected his weight to face the front of the board, and pushed off. 

Tsunade’s jaw dropped as Lee balanced both his and Tenten’s weight as he dropped into the bowl. He couldn’t do too many fancy tricks, but he did manage to get a few feet of air off of one of the ramps and even did a grind against a ledge. Once he made his way to the top of one of the sides, he ducked his head. Tenten expertly grabbed the side of the bowl, shifting her weight off of Lee’s shoulders and landing gracefully on her feet on the side of the park. Lee used the momentum to jump his board out of the opposite side of the bowl, grabbing it as he exited and flipping himself up onto his hands in usual Lee fashion. As he skated with his legs in the air, he heard Tenten running over as Tsunade clapped.

“Wow. Paint me fucking impressed, guys. Way to go.” 

Lee flipped himself back onto the ground as Tenten grabbed him around the middle in a hug. “Ain’t we something?”

“Something is one way to put it.” Tsunade smiled at them. “What else you got?” 

Lee and Tenten grinned at each other, then grabbed their boards. For the next half hour they whizzed in and out of the bowls, up and over the ramps, laughing and enjoying the chance they had to skate with each other. It was a rare opportunity for how busy they both were, and Lee was happy to relish in the moment for as long as it lasted. Having learned to skate together made them very familiar with each other’s skating styles. They were both adventurous and had managed to come up with several different partner moves. Even when they weren’t skating with each other, the tricks they were doing flowed beautifully, as if it was a choreographed dance.

After thirty minutes had passed, and Tenten and Lee were still going, Tsunade put her hands up and laughed. “Okay, okay, I get it. I think I’ve seen enough.”

Lee and Tenten skated up to her, panting and smiling. They popped their boards into their hands and waited for her to speak.

“Wow. You guys don’t do steroids, do you?”

They laughed. “Nope, this is one hundred percent determination and youth!” Lee yelled, flexing his bicep. Somewhere on a park bench, Gaara rolled his eyes.

“...Right. Well, whatever it is, it’s working. Thanks for coming out, Lee. Tenten, walk with me.” 

Tenten and Tsunade walked down the sidewalk further into the park. Lee pushed his hair off his forehead and walked over to where Gaara was sitting. Gaara smiled up from the book he had brought and stood to kiss Lee on the forehead.

“I am so sweaty!” Lee said with a laugh.

“That’s okay. I really like your forehead.”

Lee laughed again and kissed Gaara lightly on the lips.

“How did it go? Are you feeling alright?” Gaara asked, taking a place back on the bench.

“It was a lot of fun! I really enjoy skating with Tenten. I am feeling much better, thank you for asking! Exercising always helps me feel better.”

Gaara hummed and laid his head on Lee’s shoulder. They sat for a few moments enjoying the light breeze that blew over the park. Across from them they could see Kakashi and Gai. Kakashi was trying to do some skateboarding trick and Gai was loudly giving tips and pointers, most of them having nothing to do with technique and everything to do with “determination!” and “sheer will!” Kakashi was growing more and more exasperated.

After watching his parents argue for a few minutes longer, Lee turned to Gaara. “Are you ready to go, love? I think I hear a puzzle calling our names.”

Gaara looked up at Lee and smiled. “I’m ready whenever you are.” 

Lee smiled back and grabbed Gaara’s hand as they stood. “Let’s go! I will make us some sandwiches when we get home, then we can start working on that new cactus puzzle we bought.”

“Wait, Lee!” Lee turned around to see Tsunade running after him. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Lee turned to look at Gaara, his eyebrows swooping up in surprise. “Uh, sure! Gaara, I will be right back.” He placed a quick kiss to Gaara’s cheek then turned to walk with Tsunade.

“So, how long have you and the shorty been dating?” she asked, cracking her knuckles casually as she made light conversation.

“Er, Gaara’s not really short. He is… average sized. But, we have been dating for almost three years now!” Three blissful years, Lee thought to himself.

“Huh. Well, I’m gonna cut straight to the chase. Lee, I want you to come with me and Tenten on our next tour. We’re going to visit a few different countries and I think you have a really good chance at winning some championships. Maybe even a brand deal! That would really bring in the cash…” Tsunade trailed off, a distant look in her eye. “Anyway, I think you’d be great.”

Lee’s heart dropped into his stomach. He had grown up wanting nothing more than to be a pro skater like Tenten now was. Once he had been hit by the car, his dreams were crushed along with half of his body. But, he had worked hard and was now at peak performance. Could he really have a second chance?

He stopped in his tracks on the sidewalk, his mouth slightly open. “Me? But, why? You are Tenten’s manager, I could never take this away from her.”

“Kid, she was the one that recommended you in the first place. She said this is what you’ve always wanted to do.”

“It is! But… there are so many things to consider. I have a career and a boyfriend, now. I do not know that I would be okay with just abandoning all that! How long would we be gone?”

“I don’t know, it really depends. But, probably four to six months. The better you do, the longer you stay. That’s why your sister always ends up extending her trips. She’s a talented little shit.”

Lee’s brow furrowed. He felt nauseous again. Four months? At the minimum? He could barely stand a weekend away from Gaara, and that was at the very start of their relationship. Sure, they didn’t spend every waking moment together, but they were at least still in the same country. And even then he had his dads and Neji to distract him. Even Kankuro spent some time with him at the skatepark! Plus, he had the skate program. No way would he just abandon those kids to go running around. And who would take care of Gai and Kakashi? Gai had a hard time getting around sometimes and Kakashi’s eyesight had been getting worse… 

But, then again, this had been his dream ever since he was a kid. He had been so crushed, both physically and mentally, when he was injured. It had taken him years to fully move on from that. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. What was he going to do?

He knew that Gaara would want him to do it. He would miss him, but he would be on board one hundred percent. He knew what this meant to Lee. But…

They were moving in together soon. Lee would miss out on their first few months in the same home. And Lee still needed to propose. He couldn’t do that before leaving for so long, it wouldn’t be fair to either of them. Lee groaned inwardly.

“Listen, kid, I’m not going to force you into anything. But, at least think about it, okay? This is a great opportunity for you, one that probably won’t come along again. Let me know what you decide by Wednesday, not this week, but the next. That’s when I have to start booking hotels and competitions and all that shit. Just think it through, yeah? I’ll have Tenten give you my information and what not. But, for now, just think about it. No pressure either way. It’s not my dream you’d be giving up.”

Tsunade patted him on the shoulder and made her way back to where Tenten was. Lee stood staring at the sidewalk, playing his options over and over in his head.

What was he going to do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for your support so far!


	3. Conflictions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee and Gaara spend some time at home while Lee tries to make a decision.

Lee stood alone, staring at the sidewalk as his mind reeled with everything Tsunade had just told him. Apparently he had been standing alone for too long, as Gaara got off the park bench and made his way over.

“Lee? Are we going to go, or do you need to do anything else?” he asked, standing in front of him.

Lee’s head snapped to meet Gaara’s as he was pulled somewhat out of his tumultuous thoughts. “Oh, sorry, Gaara. I got a little, er, distracted.”

Gaara looked up at him, concern evident on his face. “Distracted by what? Is everything okay?”

Lee put on what he thought was a convincing smile, though Gaara could see right through it. “Mmhm!” he nodded, stepping a bit past Gaara to begin walking back to the parking lot. 

He could feel Tenten trying to get his attention from across the skate park, but he couldn’t talk to her right now. He knew he would burst out into tears, alarming Gaara even more. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to tell Gaara what had happened. 

Gaara followed a step behind him, struggling to keep up with Lee’s quick pace. He reached out a hand, trying to grab Lee’s. It startled Lee, causing him to jump before he realized what he was doing. 

“Sorry,” Gaara said, pulling his hand back and shoving it in his pocket.

“No, Gaara, I am sorry. I--” he paused, unsure of how to proceed without alarming him. “I just think I need to have some space. Sorry. Is that okay?”

Gaara looked up at him, his eyes wide. “Of course it is. You don’t have to apologize for that. I’m sorry, I should have asked first.”

Lee shook his head, his lips set in a firm line. “You did nothing wrong. Thank you. I am sorry.”

Gaara ignored the apology, knowing that pointing out it’s unnecessity would make Lee feel even worse. Once they got to the car, Lee quickly opened Gaara’s door, shutting it harder than he meant to. He sat in the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel tightly in his hands.

“Lee? Did something happen? You seemed to be feeling so much better after skating with Tenten.” Gaara frowned, suddenly angry. “Did her manager say something to make you upset? I swear, I will go back there and chew her ass out.” He unbuckled himself, making a move to open the door. Lee placed a hand over his chest, stopping him.

“No, she did nothing wrong. She was just... just asking me questions about Tenten. I am just feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. It will get better once we get home.” Lee knew this was a lie. He wasn’t going to feel better, at least not anytime soon. He regarded that thought as unproductive, some of his previous therapy sessions stepping to the forefront of his mind. He quickly dismissed the negative thought, choosing to set himself back into the present moment. He had a week and a half to decide. That would give him plenty of time to discuss it with Tenten, as well as figure out what he would do with his career if he did decide to go through with it.

It would also give him time to figure out how he would tell Gaara.

He took a deep breath as Gaara buckled his seat belt again. Feeling slightly calmer, he turned to Gaara and smiled tightly. “I will be okay. It is all going to be fine. I promise. Puzzle time?”

Gaara looked back at him, his mouth turned down and his brow furrowed. “Sure. But, Lee?”

“Hm?”

“Whatever it is that’s going on in your head right now, you can talk to me about. I’m not going to force you to do anything, but just know. I’m here when you’re ready to talk things through.”

Lee didn’t reply, knowing he would start crying if he opened his mouth. He placed a hand on the back of Gaara’s chair, looking through the rear window as he reversed out of the parking space. They drove home in silence, Lee’s hands tightly gripping the wheel the entire time. He loved holding hands with Gaara as he drove, but right now the contact was too much. He just needed a bit of a break, which he was sure Gaara did, too. 

Once they got home, Lee quickly stepped over to Gaara’s side of the car, opening his door as he always did. Gaara stood in front of him, his eyes full of concern.

“I really do love you, Lee.”

“I know, Gaara. I love you, too. So much.”

Gaara smiled at him, his eyebrows drawn down. “I know.”

They stepped into the house, Gaara being careful to not brush against Lee. They both got back into their comfier clothes, Lee making them each a sandwich as Gaara pulled out his puzzle. 

When they had first gotten together, Lee found it extremely difficult to do activities such as this with Gaara. He always had to stay so still, and most of the time, Gaara would get so invested that he would forget Lee was even there. But they had now found a balance, making it more fun for both of them. They would pick a random topic and have a conversation about it, or Lee would hold his body in a plank as they looked for matching pieces. Sometimes, when Gaara was feeling particularly cheeky, he would sit on Lee’s back as he held himself up on his forearms. Lee learned to appreciate the quiet activity, especially when Gaara would concentrate really hard and poke his tongue out. Lee would always try to touch it, causing Gaara to swat at him and call him disgusting.

Lee smiled at the memory as he cut their sandwiches into rectangles. It may have been childish, but he had been doing it for years and wasn’t planning on stopping anytime soon. After grabbing some already cut vegetables from the fridge, he placed their food on the edge of the table, avoiding the borders that Gaara had already connected. He was very good at puzzles.

“Thank you, love,” Gaara said, not looking up from the table. Lee’s heart warmed at the rare endearment. Gaara had expressed many times that he wasn’t very fond of them, he thought that “Lee” was good enough. But occasionally he would drop one into a conversation and Lee found himself falling madly in love with him all over again. 

Lee slipped into a seat across from Gaara at the table. “You are welcome!”

They sat there working on the puzzle, a light instrumental playing from Gaara’s phone. Every once in a while they would pause for a bit to eat, but quickly returned to the colorful landscape they were trying to build. Lee’s stomach continued to tighten as he sat, doing his best to not acknowledge his anxious thoughts, which only made it worse. After an hour, Gaara looked up from his puzzle, looking over at Lee and his barely touched food.

“Lee? Why haven’t you eaten anything? Normally by now you would be rooting in the fridge in search of snacks.”

Lee paused. “I suppose that I am still full from breakfast.”

Gaara glanced at the clock on the stove. “It’s been almost a full six hours since we ate breakfast, and you were skating for quite some time.” Lee kept his head down, trying to make it seem like all of his focus was on the puzzle.

“Lee, please look at me.”

Lee glanced up, his head still faced down.

“What. Is. Wrong?” Gaara asked, pausing after each word. Lee could tell he was starting to get frustrated. 

“I know normally it takes you some time to feel better after a night like last night, but you are acting nothing like you normally do. I understand if you’re tired or don’t feel well, but this is something else entirely.”

Lee looked back down at the puzzle, his eyes filling with tears. He wanted so desperately to talk to Gaara, to tell him what Tsunade had said. But he couldn’t. This was something Lee needed to try and figure out on his own. Gaara had enough to worry about as it was. But, he knew he would continue worrying if he pretended that nothing was wrong.

“I--” he paused, unsure of how much he wanted to say. “I do not feel ready to talk about it right now. I am so sorry. I know I am worrying you immensely, but I just cannot talk about it right now. I promise that as soon as I can, I will talk to you.”

Gaara sighed. “Okay. I’m sorry, Lee.”

Lee blinked. He found a puzzle piece that matched the corner he was currently working on and grabbed it, slotting it into its place and smoothing his fingers over it. He thought to the first puzzle he and Gaara had worked on, a slightly smaller one that had a picture of a blooming lotus flower on it. Almost every time he found a puzzle piece that matched, which wasn’t often, he would turn to Gaara and say, “Look, it’s us!” Gaara would smile and nod, and they would continue piecing the picture together. Now that Lee had gotten better at the task, he found himself finding too many matches to say it every time, knowing it would bother Gaara. But every time they found the last piece, Gaara would let him stick it in place. Gaara would smile at him and say, “It’s us. A perfect match.”

Lee’s chest tightened at the memory. He hoped they wouldn’t finish the puzzle that night. He wanted to be fully present for that moment so that Gaara could remind him how perfect they were for each other without his anxieties and fears getting in the way.

Lee looked across the table at Gaara, realizing he had gone too long without responding. “You do not have to apologize. I know it is just because you care.”

Gaara pressed another piece into its place. “I do. Immensely.”

They continued like that for another half an hour, sorting through the pieces and placing them into the picture. Once the puzzle was a third of the way completed, Lee stood from the table, suddenly exhausted.

“I think I am going to go take a nap. You can join me if you wish, but you do not have to.”

Gaara looked up at him, setting a piece down on the table. “Would you like me to?”

Lee grabbed his plate, walking into the kitchen to put his uneaten food in the fridge. “It does not matter to me. I do not want to be a burden, especially when you are making such great progress on your puzzle.” Lee turned to him, giving him a lopsided smile.

Gaara sighed. “I will let you have some more space. After you wake up, would you like to go get ice cream? We can go to your favorite shop and go on a walk, if you’d like.”

Lee closed the fridge and turned. “That sounds nice. I love you, Gaara.”

“I love you, too, Lee. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll come check on you in a bit.”

Lee walked down the hall, the sound of Gaara’s music fading slightly. He closed his door and sadly stared at his bed. He felt terrible for leaving Gaara. This was their first weekend alone in a long time, and here he was, having a mental break down and sleeping alone. He did his best to push his thoughts of inadequacy away, but they stayed at the corner of his mind, chipping away at him. He got onto his bed, burrowing himself into the blanket. He reasoned that as long as he kept his nap short, they would still have plenty of time together. 

He blinked sleepily, the sound of Gaara’s music drifting quietly into the room. He pulled Gaara’s pillow over to him, holding it tightly to his chest and inhaling the scent he had learned to accompany with comfort. After a few minutes of deep breathing, his mind slipped into a comfortable sleep, dreams of skateboards and puzzles filling his tired head. 

At some point while he was sleeping, Gaara had slipped into his bed, gently folding back the covers to avoid waking Lee up. He laid at the very edge of it, hesitant to touch Lee while he slept. They lay like that for an hour, together, but not touching. Just having Gaara’s body weighing down the opposite side of the bed comforted Lee, allowing him to drift into a deeper sleep than he normally might have by himself. Gaara didn’t sleep, but rested, watching Lee sleep. Not long after, Lee’s alarm went off, a loud blaring siren waking him from his peaceful rest. He turned it off and rolled over to look at Gaara.

“Are you feeling better?” Gaara asked, half of his face hidden by the blanket. 

Lee nodded at him, smiling lightly. “A little bit, yes. Did you give up on the puzzle?”

“No. I finished it.”

Lee’s heart sank. He always looked forward to finishing puzzles with Gaara, especially because of their little routine. Now he would have to wait until they did the next one, and who knows how long that would take.

“Just kidding,” Gaara said, smirking at Lee. “I didn’t do much more after you left. Puzzles aren’t the same without you anymore.”

Lee breathed a sigh of relief, the panic bubbling in his chest subsiding. Gaara rolled out of bed and grabbed his keys. 

“Come on, let’s go get some ice cream.” He jangled his keys at Lee, making him laugh.

Lee rolled out of bed and looked down at his outfit. Normally, he preferred to dress nicer when he went out in public, but Gaara was dressed similarly and had the cutest bed head. Lee couldn’t possibly ruin that. They walked out of the house together, slightly closer this time. As Lee stepped to the driver side to open the door for Gaara, he stood next to Lee, looking up at him slightly. “Is it okay if I hug you?”

Lee smiled at him, so grateful for how understanding and willing Gaara was. “Of course.”

Gaara stood on his toes, wrapping his arms around Lee’s neck. Lee snaked his arms around Gaara’s waist, holding him firmly. They hugged briefly, then pulled away, timidly smiling at each other. Lee opened Gaara’s door, then walked around to the other side, sliding into the passenger seat. They drove in silence with their windows down, enjoying the night time sounds and the cool air brushing their faces. 

Lee’s hands tapped out random beats on his knees. He wasn’t as anxious as he had been earlier, but he was still struggling to calm himself down. Looking for a distraction, he turned to Gaara.

“What kind of ice cream are you going to get, love? I think I am going to get pistachio, because it is green which is my favorite color. It is also a nut, which some people think I am nutty so it fits.” He gave a forced laugh. “But, I also know that you like pistachio ice cream sometimes, and I really like you, in fact I love you, how could I--”

Lee stopped himself. How could he leave Gaara? He was his home and a main source for Lee’s happiness. He always knew that if Gaara had chosen to leave one day, he would be able to make do. He would be sad for the longest time, possibly forever, and his heart would be broken beyond repair, but he would fall back on what he did have, his parents, Tenten, Neji, and the many, many kids he worked with. But, the thought of willingly leaving Gaara was eating him up inside. 

Lee’s stomach dropped. What if Gaara didn’t want a long distance relationship, even though it was only temporary? What if Lee decided to go and Gaara decided he didn’t want to wait around for him? Lee’s tired eyes stung as more tears sprung to the surface. He turned his head to stare out the window, his restless fingers thrumming even faster now.

“How could you what, Lee?” Gaara asked, his tone light, but strained. Lee knew that he was acting suspicious again, but was endlessly grateful for Gaara’s enduring patience.

“How… how could I get a different flavor?” Lee said, covering up what he was previously going to say.

Gaara paused. “Well, there are lots of different flavors, Lee. I’ll probably get chocolate or vanilla. I don’t have the most adventurous palate, as you know.”

“Well, you can always have some of mine. I am happy to share.”

Gaara gently patted Lee’s thigh. Lee placed his hand over Gaara’s, silently asking for permission to hold it. To his relief, Gaara obliged, slipping his fingers into Lee’s and resting their hands in his lap. They continued to drive in silence, Lee’s restless thumb dragging itself back and forth across Gaara’s.

After they had pulled into the ice cream shop’s parking lot, Gaara gently pulled Lee in through the door, making light conversation as they ordered their ice cream. Lee ordered his pistachio ice cream as promised, and Gaara got vanilla with rainbow sprinkles. He hadn’t wanted the topping, but Lee insisted. They paid and walked out of the shop, hands swinging lightly as they began to walk down the road. 

After walking for some time, they found themselves at their usual walking destination, the park where Lee’s program took place. The familiarity of it comforted him, he being a creature of habit. His eyes slid across the spot where Tsunade had asked him to go on the trip, but he quickly looked away, unwilling to think about it any longer. He would put it on the back burner of his mind for now, then talk to Tenten when he could. But right now, he wanted to be in the moment, enjoying his cold treat with Gaara.

They sat at the edge of the skate bowl, their heels gently tapping the walls as they ate their ice cream. Lee shared his as promised.

“You’re right, I really do like pistachio.”

“I know! That is why I always get it. You never order it and always regret it later. So it makes more sense for us to just share.”

Gaara looked at him and smiled. “You’re always so thoughtful, Lee. What did I ever do to deserve you?”

Lee laughed quietly. “You did not need to do anything, Gaara. You deserve the world and more, simply because you do.”

They continued to eat quietly for a moment. Lee looked across the park and laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Gaara asked slyly, looking over at Lee.

“Remember one of the first skating sessions you came to when you were evaluating the program? You were struggling to get out of the bowl, so I was helping you up. When I grabbed your hand, you inconveniently laced our fingers together. Then you knocked your head into mine and we fell over!”

Lee laughed, slapping his knee at the funny memory. Gaara laughed along with him, setting his now empty container on the ground.

“It was because you made me nervous!” Gaara said, leaning into Lee slightly.

“You made me nervous, too! But at least I did not bump noggins with you!” They laughed for a moment longer, enjoying the sweet and simple memory from their past. Neither of them had expected their relationship to go this far, especially Lee. Every time Gaara would visit the program, his heart would quake in excitement. He had quickly fallen in love with Gaara. His quiet, but firm, manner, the way his nose wrinkled when he frowned, how gently he treated the kids. He would often daydream about their first date. And now, here he was, years later, daydreaming about their proposal. His time with Gaara was a million times better than he could have ever hoped for.

His heart filled with an overwhelming gratitude for who Gaara was as a person and for all he had done for him. Lee rested his head on Gaara’s shoulder. Gaara leaned his on Lee’s, and they sat in the quiet park, illuminated by the lamps dotting the edges. 

Once Lee had grown sleepy again, they stood up, preparing to head back to their car so they could go home. Gaara looked at Lee, frowned, then licked his thumb, rubbing the edge of his mouth.

“Lee, you have ice cream on your face.”

Lee beamed down at him. “Are you sure? Or is it just because my dimple happens to be over there?” 

Gaara glared at him, before breaking into a smile. “You really did have ice cream there. The dimple was just a bonus.”

They made their way back to the car, hands not held, but brushing the entire way. When they had arrived home and gotten ready for bed, they slid under the covers, the light of a small lamp glowing on Gaara’s side of the mattress. He sat up in bed, reading a book on child development as Lee laid down to sleep next to him. After Gaara had settled his constantly anxious mind with a few chapters, he shut off the light, sliding further under the covers to sleep with Lee.

“Lee?” Gaara whispered in the dark room.

“Hmm?” Lee responded, half awake. 

“Can I hold you?”

Lee hummed a reply. Gaara scooted his body close to Lee’s, wrapping his arm around his waist as he had done so many times before. Lee felt Gaara’s light breaths tickling the back of his neck. He smiled sleepily as it moved to tickle his ear.

“Lee, I hope you dream better tonight. Please let me know if you need anything. I love you.”

Gaara kissed the tip of his ear as Lee fell asleep, mind gently buzzing with unaddressed indecision. But, he would worry about that tomorrow. Right now, he needed to sleep. And what better way to do that than in Gaara’s arms?

Early the next morning, Lee found himself standing on his front porch, getting ready to see Gaara off. 

“Are you sure you’ll be alright tonight?” Gaara asked, his brow raised.

“I will be fine! Tenten will be here if I need anything and I have my medicine if it gets that bad again. Thank you for taking such good care of me,” he responded.

Gaara sighed, pulling Lee in for a hug. “I’m sorry I have to go so soon. I promised Kankuro and Temari that we would get together today. Please call me if you need anything, okay? No matter what time it is.” He pulled back, staring at Lee as he placed a hand gently on his face. “I want to take care of you. You have to let me do that.”

Lee nodded. “I promise I will let you know. You do the same. I love you, Gaara. Have fun with your siblings! Tell them I said hi.”

Gaara pulled him down gently to give him a kiss. “I will. I love you, too, Lee.”

They turned and walked down the sidewalk to Gaara’s car. Unwilling to break habit, Lee opened his door, allowing him to slip inside. He watched Gaara reverse out of the driveway and give a tiny wave as he drove off. Lee watched his car disappear down the road, then turned back into his house. 

Knowing Tenten would be home soon, he turned on their coffee maker. He listened to the sound of the machine running as he stared out the window. Thick clouds had begun forming in the sky, a promise of a rainy day. He turned back to the kitchen as his phone vibrated on the counter. He walked over and looked at it. Tenten had texted him.

Tenten  
“I’m up way earlier than I want to be, thanks to these idiots. We’re coming home soon, Gai and Kakashi are gonna have breakfast with us. See you then!”

Lee grinned at the message. Family time was rare, nowadays, and he was excited that they would be coming. He texted a quick reply, then ran to his room to get dressed. Once he had on clean clothes and had brushed his hair, he pulled out all of the ingredients he would need to make pancakes and eggs. 

Half an hour later, the kitchen was filled with the smell of coffee and sizzling bacon. Lee heard the lock on the front door turn, announcing his family’s arrival. He set his spatula down and walked out of the kitchen to greet them.

Gai rolled through first, lecturing Tenten on her skating form in a tone that was much too loud for this early in the morning. Kakashi followed him, holding a travel mug and looking like he was half asleep. Tenten peeked from behind, silently begging Lee to help her.

“Gai!” he interrupted, grabbing his foster dad’s hand.

“Lee! It’s so good to see you so early in the morning! These two here seem to disagree, but I knew you’d be on my side!”

“Of course!” Lee yelled back, taking the handles from Kakashi and pushing him further into the house. “As you have said, an early morning makes for a more youthful mind!”

“Exactly right, my dear boy!” Gai slapped Lee on the back as he walked by, making him laugh. Kakashi slumped on the couch in the living room as Tenten took a seat on the bar stool. Lee got her favorite mug out of the cupboard and filled it with warm coffee. He placed it next to her before grabbing the creamer out of the fridge and sliding it across the counter so she could make her coffee as she wished.

“Kakashi, would you like some coffee?” Lee asked, holding up the pot.

“Gai already made me some this morning. Thanks anyway, kid,” he mumbled from his spot on the couch.

Lee looked over questioningly at Tenten who shrugged. “He only likes coffee the way Gai makes it.”

Gai wheeled over to where Kakashi sat. “That’s because no one knows my rival better than I do! Eh, Kakashi?” Gai patted him roughly on the shoulder causing Kakashi to groan. 

“That’s true,” Kakashi said, his voice muffled as he leaned in to hug Gai. They sat like that for a moment and Lee’s heart warmed. He turned back to Tenten and smiled at her. She returned the smile sleepily.

“So, what’s on the menu, Lee?” she asked, craning her neck to look at the stove behind him.

“The bacon is in the oven, the pancakes are almost done cooking, and the eggs are staying warm on the stove!”

“Oh, good. I’m fucking starving,” Kakashi said, hopping off from the couch to walk into the kitchen. Tenten began grabbing plates from their cupboards.

“Lee, do you want me to clear off the table?” she asked, walking towards it.

“Oh, no! That is alright, Gaara and I still have to finish our puzzle.”

“Oh, well, I can help you finish it tonight!”

Lee’s anxiety spiked a bit. “Er, that is so sweet of you to offer! But, um… that is an activity I prefer to do with Gaara, if that is okay. Sorry! It is not you, I just--”

“Lee, calm down, it’s fine! I’m shit at puzzles anyway,” Tenten said with a laugh. She placed the plates around their counter, grabbing a small TV tray for Gai to eat on. After the food had been served and they were all happily eating, Tenten spoke up.

“So, Lee, did you tell Gai and Kakashi about Tsunade’s offer?” she asked between gulps of coffee.

“Oh, well I, uh, I have not really… considered it yet,” he replied, pushing his eggs around his plate with a fork.

“What was the offer, Lee?” Gai asked with his mouth full.

“Gai, you’re going to choke, and I’m too tired to perform the heimlich on you,” Kakashi grumbled.

Ignoring Kakashi, Tenten turned to Lee. “Why haven’t you considered it yet? It’s a no-brainer, really. Haven’t you always wanted to do this?”

“Well, yes, but I--”

“But what?! You would be traveling with me and doing something you love! What could you possibly have to lose?” she asked, her voice raising slightly in volume. 

Lee began to cry. “Everything, Tenten. I could lose everything.” He sat up from his seat and made his way to his room. “Excuse me for one moment. There are more eggs on the stove, should you want more, as well as some chopped fruit in the fridge.”

He heard his family talking in hushed whispers as he sat in his room. He gripped his knees tightly, trying to force himself to calm down. He pulled out his phone, considering calling Gaara and telling him everything right then and there, but stopped when he saw a text from him. He opened it to see a picture of Gaara holding Shikadai, the baby’s tiny hands holding his hair as they both laughed. Lee sniffled and smiled as tears continued to roll down his cheeks. Before he could reply to it, he heard a light knock at the door. 

“I will be out in a moment,” he called, attempting, and failing, to keep his voice from wobbling.

The knocker ignored the reply and stepped in anyway. He looked up as Kakashi walked in, wheeling Gai into Lee’s bedroom. Lee sighed, wiping his face. Kakashi took a seat next to Lee on the bed and Gai parked right in front of him, a strong, but gentle, hand on his knee.

“Hey, kid, care to tell us what’s going on?” Kakashi said quietly, looking over at his son. 

“We are here to help and listen! We will do our best not to interrupt,” Gai said, doing his best to match Kakashi’s soothing tone.

“What do you mean, we?” Kakashi said teasingly. “It’s always you that interrupts.”

Gai stuck his tongue out at Kakashi, then turned back to Lee. “What’s going on, Lee?” he asked softly. 

Lee drew a shaky breath, staring down at Gai’s hand. “Tsunade asked me to skate internationally during Tenten’s next tour. I am so torn on what to do. On one hand, I would miss Gaara terribly. I also have a career and a skating program to worry about. I do not know how I would take care of everything while I am away.” Lee paused, fresh tears welling up in his eyes. “On the other hand, this is my dream. I have always wanted this. I did my best to create new dreams after my injury, but it is still there, always at the back of my mind. I want it so bad.”

Kakashi and Gai both nodded. They had been there after Lee’s injury, nursing him back to health and letting him cry on their shoulders as his dreams were taken from him. They knew how much it hurt Lee and how hard he had worked to create a fulfilling life even though he was no longer able to compete with Tenten. 

Kakashi cleared his throat. “I can see where you’re coming from, Lee. When Gai and I were dating, I had some skating competitions that took me out of this area, even a few that took me out of the country like yours would. It was hard, I’m not going to lie or paint some fantasy bullshit picture saying otherwise. But, we’re still here and still happy.” He reached over and took Gai’s hand in his own.

“Ka-Kakashi!” Gai said, tears suddenly running down his face.

Kakashi sighed and turned back to Lee. “Look, I’m not gonna tell you what to do either way. But, Gaara loves you. Everyone can see that. It’s unfair to him to assume how he would feel or react until you talk to him, okay?”

Lee nodded, knowing Kakashi was right. “But, what about Tenten? I do not want to disappoint her either if I decide not to go.”

Gai wiped his eyes with his free hand. “Tenten will understand. She may be upset for a bit, but she loves you, too, Lee. She’ll come around.”

Lee nodded again, his heart feeling a bit lighter than it had in the past few days. 

“I suppose you are both correct. I will talk to Gaara. Thank you.”

Gai let go of Kakashi’s hand to pull Lee into a hug. “I will talk to Tenten. You know how she gets sometime. She misses you more than she admits while she’s gone, I think she just wants to spend some extra time with you. Her passionate spirit overtakes her youthful mind at times and she is unable to control her temper.” He pulled back and smiled at Lee.

“Thank you, Gai.”

Gai clapped him on the back, then wheeled himself out of the room. Kakashi rose to follow, but Lee stopped him.

“Er, dad?” 

Kakashi sat back down. Lee rarely called him dad. 

“I-I did not want to talk to Gai about this, because he worries so much, but I know you have… had issues with the same problem…”

“What’s going on, kiddo?” Kakashi asked, a knowing look in his eye.

“My—my separation anxiety is also making me nervous to leave. You know how I get… even just this past weekend I had a nightmare that set it off, while Gaara was here! I just… I am not sure that I could handle being away from him.” He sighed, dropping his head. “I know it makes me sound horribly clingy, but I do not mean it that way. I just worry about him so much.”

“You’re not clingy, Lee. Try not to think that, okay? Unfortunately, it’s just something that’s with you because of your past. When Gai and I would leave when you first started living with us, you would have similar panic attacks, even if we just left to go to the store. But I never thought you were being clingy and demanding. I just knew you were a kid that was hurt from his past and needed some extra love and reassurance. And Gaara knows that, too. And you both adjusted after a while. It may be tough, but if you want to go, it’s worth it.”

Kakashi ruffled his hair, making Lee smile. “Thank you, dad. I am not sure what I would do without you.”

“Meh, you’d be fine,” Kakashi said, stretching. “Gai, on the other hand, would be a mess.”

Lee laughed and stood. Kakashi pulled him in for a rare hug. “Love you, Lee.”

“I love you, too.”

They returned to the kitchen where Gai and Tenten now sat. Tenten’s eyes were slightly red, but Lee chose to talk with her about it after Kakashi and Gai had left. They all sat down to finish their breakfast, choosing to move past the touchy subject and talk about Kakashi’s garden. He had been attempting to grow tomato plants, but they were all dying. Some had accidentally been ran over by Gai. He tiredly recounted his attempts to save the plants, Gai interjecting when he thought that Kakashi had told something wrong. Lee laughed along with his family, enjoying his time with them while he had it. He would talk to Gaara later. They would figure something out. They always did.


	4. A Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten and Lee talk things through and Gaara gets ready to move in

After Gai had finished off the bacon, and Kakashi had almost fallen asleep on Tenten and Lee’s couch, the two reluctantly left their kids for the day, making them promise they would both join them for dinner later that week. After reassuring them that they would, Tenten closed the door on them, pausing with her back to Lee and her hand on the door knob.

“Lee, I’m really sorry,” she said, turning to look at him. “I just,” she sighed, pulling on a strand of hair that had come loose from her buns. “I just really wanted to skate with you. I forget sometimes that you have a lot of reasons to stay. This town really drives me crazy, sometimes. But I don’t have as many ties to it as you do. I’m sorry for making you upset and for trying to pressure you to come.”

She crossed her arms, looking off to the side as she frowned. Lee knew apologies from Tenten were rare. Normally, she did everything she could to skirt around the fact that she had been wrong. He smiled at her and closed the distance between them, pulling her into a bone crushing hug.

“Thank you, Tenten. I really want to skate with you, too. It would be such a wonderful opportunity. There are just so many things to consider, unfortunately. But, I promise I will make a decision soon! I will do my best to try and make going on the trip with you work! If I do not, I will paint your entire room whatever color you would like! Or, I will send you a package every day! Or even--”

“Lee, stop with the challenges. I don’t want you to do anything besides make a decision that you’re happy with, okay? Sometimes I tend to put my wants in front of other people’s needs. Gai says it’s because of my ‘passion and fervor, driving me toward success and the prime of my youth!’ but, to be honest, I have no idea what that even means. I’m just selfish sometimes, I guess.”

“Tenten, you are in no way selfish! Remember how you pay for a majority of the rent even though you are hardly ever here? Which reminds me, I was going to talk to you about that, you really should allow me to pay more--” 

Lee stopped himself at the sight of Tenten’s glare. They had argued about this many, many times. 

“Anyway. I know we rarely see each other, so it makes sense you would want me to go! Believe me, I really want to go, too!”

“Then come!” Tenten said, slightly exasperated. “I know right now it feels like there are waves crashing in on you, but that's when you get on your surfboard and ride over them! Or in this case a skateboard! I know you love Gaara, but you’ll have the rest of your life with him! A few months won’t make a difference, Lee.”

Lee paused. Tenten was right. If his proposal went well, and he was sure it would, then he and Gaara would be together until they got old and wrinkly. Everything else could be worked out. This was an opportunity of a lifetime.

Lee sighed. “Tenten, I am planning on proposing soon. I have the ring and everything. I want to do it right now, but if I go, I do not want to spend our engagement apart. It will push things back a bit, but you are right. It would be worth it.” He felt almost like a traitor admitting that he really did want to go and that his mind was almost fully made up that he would be going. It all depended on Gaara’s reaction…

“You’re proposing..? You have a ring?! And you haven’t shown me yet?!” Tenten shrieked, standing on her toes to poke Lee in the chest.

“I have not had a moment alone with you when I could!” Lee said, his hands held up defensively.

Tenten looked around dramatically. “Well, we’re alone now. Skate to it, Lee, let’s see that ring!”

Lee smiled at her, running back to his room to grab the velvet box. He opened it and peeked inside, making sure that it hadn’t run off since the last time he had looked at it. He ran back out to the kitchen where Tenten was pouring herself another cup of coffee.

He held his breath as she turned around. He opened it and held it at arm’s length, eyes opened wide as he showed her the ring. She snatched it out of his hand, inspecting it closely with a scrutinizing look on her face. Lee held his arms to his sides in attention, worried about what her reaction was going to be. After a few more seconds, she smiled and nodded her approval. 

“I think he’ll like it!” she said, snapping the ring box closed and handing it to Lee. 

“I think so, too!” he replied, relief flooding through him.

“You better plan something really nice.” She frowned, poking him in the stomach.

“Well, of course! Why would I do anything but that?”

“I didn’t think you would. I just gotta watch out for him. He’s my brother now, too, you know.”

Lee smiled, pocketing the ring and pulling Tenten in for another hug, lifting her up slightly as he did so.

“Thank you, Tenten.”

She snorted. “For what?”

“For just being you, I suppose.”

“You’re welcome, I guess,” Tenten said with a laugh. She looked at Lee fondly for a moment, before turning and grabbing her mug.

“You really should talk to him soon. I know you still have some time until you reach Tsunade’s deadline, but you guys will need some time to work things out. All I’m saying is don’t procrastinate.” She shrugged and drank from her mug.

Lee sighed, staring down at the ring. “I know. I will do my best to make a definite decision and talk to him this week.” He drew his eyebrows down in determination. “I know! Thursday is date night. I will talk to him then. That gives me plenty of time to figure everything out at work and with the skate program!”

“Sounds like a plan.” Tenten tipped her head back, draining what was left in the cup and placing it in the sink. She began to walk toward her room. “I’m sure Gai would be willing to take over the program for a bit. Kakashi, too, since apparently he has some secret skating life we don’t know about.”

Lee listened to her voice muffle as she walked down the hall and closed her door. He held the ring box in his hand, smoothing his thumb over the soft velvet. He picked it up and pressed it down firmly onto his hand, looking up in determination. He could make this work. He would make this work. He just needed to be determined and work hard! 

Lee pocketed the ring and walked to his room. He pulled his laptop out from his work bag, and sat himself on his bed. All he had to do was write a convincing enough email to his boss to allow him to go. He cracked his knuckles forcefully, shook out his hands, and began to type.

“To whom it may concern,”

Lee cringed, then deleted the first sentence. Both he and his boss already knew who it concerned. They had known each other long enough that he could be a bit more casual. He sighed and decided to just write the email straight through, then attempt to edit it later.

“Hello!!!!

I just wanted to reach out and let you know that I have been given a very cool opportunity to skate internationally with my sister Tenten!!! I would be gone for about four months and wanted to speak with you to see if this would be something we could work out! I am not currently working with any direct cases, and I know a few coworkers that would be more than happy to assist with my programs while I am gone!!! I would still be able to work remotely, I would just need assistance with all of the activities that take place! I would be able to complete all of the same work I currently do, I would just be doing it somewhere else!! Please let me know if you have any concerns regarding this! I would be happy to address them and work to make it possible for me to go as this has been my dream since I was very young!!! Thank you for your time, have a splendid day!

Most Sincerely,

Rock Lee”

Lee finished typing, then nodded his head. He ran back through the email, correcting any weird sounding sentences and removing almost all of his exclamation points. He had a rule for himself that he would write it however he wanted to start, which meant with a lot of enthusiasm, then he would go back and make it sound more professional. He read through it a few more times, trying to figure out what Gaara might have to say about the email. Normally, if it was something really important, he would send it to him to look over first. But, he didn’t really have that advantage this time. He ignored the anxiousness building in the pit of his stomach as he thought of Gaara and tweaked a few more things. Once he was sure it was convincing and professional, he hit send.

Then immediately regretted it.

“Oh no, oh no, what did I do?!” His heart dropped. “How could I have made this decision without Gaara?” 

His breathing picked up as he looked around his inbox for a place to undo the email.

“Tenten!” he yelled, frantically clicking.

He heard her running quickly down the hall. “Lee, what is it?!” she asked, slamming in through the door.

“How do I unsend an email?” He looked over at her, concern painted all over his face.

“Lee you can’t… wait, why? What did you do?”

“I sent an email to my boss telling him about the trip. I should have waited to tell Gaara first! Tenten, what do I do?” Lee cried, dropping his head into his hands.

“Hey, Lee, calm down, okay? First of all, you don’t even know if your boss will approve it. Second of all, I know for a fact that Gaara will want you to go. Lastly,” Tenten paused her sentence to let out an excited squeal. “I’m so glad you’re going to come!”

Lee gave her a weak smile, his heart still racing. He felt so conflicted. Tenten was so happy, but he knew Gaara would miss him. He was simultaneously disappointing and pleasing two of his favorite and most precious people. If he chose to stay, it would be the same thing. He couldn’t win.

Tenten sat on Lee’s bed excitedly, bouncing in place. “That is true. He hasn’t accepted it yet, we don’t know if he will.” Lee said, attempting to calm himself down. 

As Lee finished his sentence, his laptop went off, signaling a new email. Tenten snapped her head up to look at him, her eyes wide with excitement. Lee gulped and picked up the computer, clicking on the reply from his boss. He read over it as Tenten skimmed it over his shoulder. She shrieked with excitement, grabbing Lee’s pillow and hitting him over the head.

Lee’s boss had approved it.

They said that it would take some extra effort on the rest of the staff and that they might even need to hire an intern to cover some of Lee’s programs. His pay would be cut temporarily, seeing as he wouldn’t be doing as much work as he normally did, but as long as he still worked remotely and covered what was asked of him, they didn’t see any reason why they should keep him from his dreams.

Tenten paused her rejoicing to look at Lee who had begun crying. “Hey, you okay? You can always tell them you changed your mind,” she said softly, wiping a tear from his cheek.

“Tenten.”

“What?”

Lee grabbed her off the bed and flung her around the room. “We are going to skate internationally! Together!” he yelled as Tenten laughed. 

“I’m so glad you’re going to come, Lee! It’s going to be amazing!”

“I am so glad, too!” he paused, deflating slightly. “I just need to talk with Gaara.”

Tenten walked back to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Lee, I promise that he’ll be more than okay with it. He’s going to miss you, but he’ll be excited for you, okay? I know your brain blocked out the second part and only heard that he’ll miss you, so let me repeat myself. He is going to be excited for you! I promise.”

Lee nodded, unable to say anything.

Tenten sighed. “I know, you’re not ready to tell him yet. Come on, let’s go to the skate park. Get your mind off of things for a while.”

Lee nodded, remaining silent. He finally got dressed for the day, wearing something comfortable that he could easily skate in. He grabbed his new board, black with red hearts to remind him of Gaara, and joined Tenten in the living room. She clipped her helmet underneath her chin and grinned at Lee.

“Ready to go?”

Lee smiled and nodded. He grabbed his keys and locked the front door as they exited. He let Tenten take the lead, dropping his board to the ground and pushing off forcefully, allowing the wind to brush the edges of his bowl cut. He picked up speed as they maneuvered easily down a large hill.

They arrived to the skatepark late in the afternoon. Kids were filtering in and out, but it was fairly empty for a Sunday. Lee surveyed the park, not seeing any of the kids he usually worked with. He skated toward one of the ramps, jumping off casually. This was just a warm up. In his head he ran through what kind of routine he thought people might like to see. After planning one through in his head, he ran through it, wizzing in and out of the bowl at breakneck speed, avoiding other skaters as needed. Every once in a while, he would look around the park, ensuring that Tenten was still there and that she was doing okay. 

After a few hours, Tenten skated up to Lee as he went over a particularly difficult trick for the fiftieth time. 

“Are you ready to go, Lee?” she asked, panting slightly.

“Done already?” he teased. “I was just getting started!”

Tenten flopped dramatically into Lee’s arms, causing him to drop his board. “But, Lee, I’m dying!”

He laughed lightly, propping her back up and grabbing his board off the ground. “Okay, let’s go home.”

They took off in the direction of their house, Tenten skating a little slower this time. Lee hung back, not wanting her to get too far behind him. Each time he slowed down, Tenten would race forward with fury, not wanting Lee to wait for her. This would make Lee laugh, which would make Tenten even madder, causing her to skate faster. By the time they got home, Tenten was red in the face and breathing hard.

“You’re such a punk, Lee!” she said, stumbling slightly as she walked through the door.

“Tenten, I did not do a thing!”

“Are you gonna keep trying to show me up when we go on our trip?” she teased, throwing her helmet off haphazardly in the hallway.

Lee got quiet. “Tenten, why would I do that?”

She groaned and grabbed his cheeks. “Lee. I was kidding. You need to relax about this whole thing, okay? How about this. You go take a shower because you smell really bad. I’ll make some popcorn and we can watch a movie, okay?”

Lee smiled and plugged his nose. “Tenten, you smell pretty awful, too.”

“Okay, fine then! We’ll both shower!”

Lee laughed, pushing her lightly in the direction of her bathroom. Lee went to his, stopping by his room first to place his phone on his bed. He stepped in and stripped of his dirty clothes, plopping them to the floor. He looked around his childishly decorated bathroom. He thought back to the first night Gaara had stayed here. He had passed out in his car after a really bad day at work. Lee found him on the side of the road and had taken him back to his house. Gaara had later commented that he loved his bathroom decor. Lee decided that he wouldn’t change it ever again.

He stepped into the shower and turned it on. He brushed his hair off of his forehead, letting the water turn his dark locks an inky black as water ran down from them in rivulets. He let the steam calm his tumultuous mind as he rubbed his favorite shampoo through his hair. After he rinsed it out, he ran a dollop of conditioner through his ends, letting it sit while he washed his body and face. 

Once he was properly cleaned, he stepped out, rubbing his hair with a towel until it was just damp. He tied it around his waist and stepped out into the hall, peeking to make sure Tenten wasn’t out yet. At the sound of running water, he decided it was safe and turned back to his room.

As he began rooting through his closet for something to wear, his phone buzzed, signaling that he had an incoming call. He picked it up, looking at the screen to see a slightly blurred, candid picture of Gaara eating a piece of pizza. Lee smiled so wide his face almost split in two.

“Gaara! I miss you! How are you?”

Gaara’s slightly crackled laugh was heard on the other line. “Lee, I just saw you this morning.”

Lee joined in on the laughter. “I know, but I still miss you! Did you enjoy your day with Temari and Kankuro?”

“Yeah, I did,” Gaara said. Lee could hear him smiling. “We went and had breakfast, then played games at Temari’s house. I sat out for a few, watching the baby. He threw up in my hair, though, which was disgusting. Then Kankuro threw up, so we came home.”

“Oh, no, not a very nice end to the day!” Lee said sympathetically. He loved Gaara’s hair, but not when there was baby puke in it.

“It’s alright. How was your day? How are you feeling?”

“Oh, I am… I am doing fine! Just fine. Kakashi and Gai joined me and Tenten for breakfast this morning, then we both went to the skate park. All is well over here!”

“Oh, well that sounds… nice. Lee, is something on your mind?” Gaara asked, his voice hesitant.

“No, why would you think that?” Lee asked, his voice tightening slightly.

“Well, usually when I ask, you go on a long explanation about your day. You kept it fairly brief this time. I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright.”

Lee’s heart swelled. Gaara cared so much and was so intuitive. Lee teared up slightly as he thought of how much he loved Gaara. “Thank you for caring, I promise I am okay. I am just… just tired, I suppose. Tenten and I are going to watch a movie, then I will probably go to bed early.”

“That’s probably a good idea. I’m sorry for keeping you, I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright.”

“Oh, no that’s okay, I--”

“Enjoy your movie, okay? Please call me if you have a nightmare. I love you, Lee. I’ll talk to you later. Sleep well.”

Lee sighed. “I love you, too, Gaara. More than I could ever express. Sleep well, love.”

They both said goodnight, then got off the phone. Lee shrugged on his comfy clothes, putting on the green hoodie that he knew Gaara liked the most. He smiled and sent a picture of himself to Gaara, making sure that his dimple was visible. Gaara really liked that dimple. Gaara responded within seconds.

Gaara

“Take my hoodie off.”

Then a few seconds after,

“I’m kidding. You look very nice,” followed by a small heart.

Lee smiled, and sent multiple hearts back in response. He slipped his phone into his hoodie pocket and walked back out to the kitchen. Tenten stood at the counter, her hair loose around her shoulders and slightly wet. She looked up at Lee and smiled as she poured popcorn into a bowl.

“Hey, kid. You ready to watch this thing?”

“I am if you are!”

They sat down on the couch as Tenten began flicking through the selection of movies on the screen. Once the movie had started playing, she laid down, draping her legs over Lee’s lap. They watched in relative silence, passing the bowl of popcorn between them. Once the movie was over, Tenten stood up and stretched. 

“Well, I’m going to go to bed.” She offered a hand out to Lee, which he took. “Please come get me if you need me, Lee. I want to help if I can.”

Lee nodded and smiled at her sleepily. He pulled her into a brief hug, then walked to the kitchen to put their empty bowl in the sink. After slipping into bed and curling under the covers, he sent a text to Gaara to tell him goodnight. They talked for a bit about their day until Lee fell asleep holding his phone. 

Lee got up for work the next day feeling calm and optimistic. After his hour long work out routine, he left for the office, opting to wear a casual button up and slacks. He normally hated clothes like these, as they made it harder for him to stretch and skate, but he knew he would be on a bit of thin ice for a while, given the circumstances. Once at work, he threw himself into his plan of making his skate trip work.

He worked even harder than usual all week, running back and forth to co-worker’s offices and typing up extremely detailed outlines for all of the programs he was running. Luckily, most of them were excited for him and were happy to help out. Because Lee ran all of these programs himself, having the other employees take one each didn’t add too much more to their current workload. One of them, Shino, was taking over his outdoor adventure program, Choji was going to do his cooking class, and his favorite co-worker, Sakura, was going to help teach his physical fitness program. All he had left to assign was his art program, something that none of the other co-workers were really willing to do. He placed it at the back of his mind to worry about later, knowing that if they needed to, all three of the ones currently taking programs wouldn’t mind switching off each session.

His week went by quickly, he being so busy preparing for his trip. He made sure to tell those taking over the programs that he didn’t know when he’d be leaving yet, but that he would find out soon. He sat in his office Thursday, furiously scribbling things he still needed to do on a notepad. He heard a light knock at his door and looked up to see Sakura standing in the doorway.

“Hey, Lee! Mind if I step in?”

“Of course not!” he replied, beaming at her. She sat down in a chair in front of his desk, scooting it up slightly.

“Have you gotten everything worked out for your trip?” she asked, tucking a piece of pink hair behind her hair. 

“Almost! I have my laptop all set up with everything I will need to work remotely, and I have arranged for my parents and Neji to take over the skating program while I am away. Gaara’s brother will also probably be willing to help out!” he said, pounding a fist into his hand.

“Probably? You haven’t asked him yet?”

“Well, I, er--”

“Lee, don’t tell me you haven’t told Gaara yet,” she scolded, frowning at him. “He’s your boyfriend and you haven’t told him you’ll be leaving the country for four months?!”

Lee groaned and dropped his head onto his desk with a loud thud. “I know, I know,” he whined, his voice slightly muffled. “I am going to tell him tonight. I just… needed time. To make sure I could work it all out before telling him.”

Sakura sighed. “You should have worked everything out with him first, Lee. Communication is a huge part of a relationship. You know that.”

“I know! I know. But I--”

Sakura stood up, smacking Lee in the head lightly. “No buts. You tell him tonight, got it?”

He lifted his head up and looked at his friend. “I will try my best,” he said weakly. 

Sakura nodded and smiled at him. “Good. I’m excited for you, Lee! I’ll miss seeing you around here, but I’m glad you’re going.”

“I will miss you, too, Sakura.”

“You’d better!” she said, mockingly holding a fist to his face. He pushed her hand away and laughed, as she joined him. She waved, then walked out, leaving Lee to wrap up some loose odds and ends for the day. He pulled out his phone to send a quick text to Gaara.

Lee

“Hello, love!!! Date night tonight. Want to grab dinner?”

Gaara

“We might have to take a rain check tonight. I stayed home from work with the flu. Sorry.”

Gaara attached a sad face to the end of his text. Lee answered him, letting him know that he would stop by to bring him some soup and make sure he was doing okay, then he would leave. He was sad that he wouldn’t be able to spend the night with Gaara. Date night had quickly made Thursdays his favorite day of the week. 

After he was finished with work for the day, he closed and locked his office, saying goodbye to everyone he saw on the way out. He drove to the store, trying to decide how to tell Gaara about his trip. Talking to him might make him upset, which could possibly make him sicker. But he didn’t want to delay any longer. He needed to tell Gaara, especially seeing as he was due to get an answer to Tsunade by next week. He chewed on his lip as he walked through the store aisles, debating both the situation at hand, as well as what kind of soup to get Gaara. He grabbed a few different kinds, unsure of what he could stomach, as well as a bouquet of flowers and a few sports drinks to make sure Gaara didn’t get dehydrated. Once he was loaded down with groceries, he made his way to Gaara’s apartment, knocking lightly on the door.

A few seconds later, a sniffling, pale Gaara opened the door.

“Hi, Lee,” he said, smiling through his congestion.

“Hello, love. I am so sorry you are not feeling well. I have some things for you, is it alright if I come inside for a moment?”

“Of course.” Gaara stepped to the side, coughing lightly as he did so. Lee stepped into their kitchen, placing the things on the counter. He found an empty vase under the sink and used Gaara’s scissors to trim the bouquet to fit into it. After filling it with water and setting it out, he turned back to Gaara who had been standing and watching the entire time. 

“Thank you. You’re too good to me, Lee,” he said, curling further into the blanket he had wrapped around his shoulders. Lee immediately felt guilty, knowing that it was far from the truth. Someone that was good for Gaara wouldn’t keep such a big secret from him. Instead of responding, he pulled Gaara into his chest, squeezing him gently and placing a kiss on his sweaty forehead. He pulled back and smiled, brushing the damp hair up and off of his forehead.

“I missed you this week,” Gaara whispered, laying his head on Lee’s chest.

“I missed you, too. I am so happy we will be moving in together soon.”

Gaara sighed. “Me, too.”

Lee held Gaara for a few minutes longer, enjoying his company while he could. Though they saw each other quite often, it was never enough for Lee. He then directed Gaara to the couch, laying him down and giving him one of the drinks before going back to the kitchen to warm up his soup. He brought the bowl to Gaara, who was already half asleep.

“Sweetheart, you need to eat something before going back to bed,” Lee said, gently shaking Gaara’s shoulder. Gaara hummed in response, sitting up to eat as Lee instructed. Once he had eaten as much as he could, he leaned into Lee, cuddling up to him and closing his eyes. Lee adjusted himself so that he was lying on the couch, pulling Gaara up to lie on him. Lee dozed quietly as Gaara slept, gently running his hand over his back and occasionally wiping his forehead with a damp cloth he had grabbed when heating up his soup. He wasn’t worried about getting sick. He didn’t care about that. He just wanted to protect Gaara and help him feel better.

After a few hours of sleeping together on the couch, the doorknob jiggled, startling Lee awake. He gently slid Gaara off of him, grabbing the broom in the kitchen to use as a weapon. The door opened, and in walked Kankuro, carrying a bag of take out. Lee breathed a sigh of relief and set the broom back down.

“Yo, whaddup, bowl cut boy?” he asked, stepping through the door.

“Kankuro, I cannot believe you left Gaara here alone when he is sick!” Lee whispered harshly.

“The kid’s an adult!” Kankuro said, rolling his eyes. “Besides, he told me to leave so you two could have some alone time.”

Lee calmed down and nodded. “I apologize for misunderstanding.”

“Eh, it’s whatever, man.” He cracked his back and headed off in the direction of his room. Lee shook his head, then looked at the clock. It was getting pretty late, and both he and Gaara had work in the morning, though he hoped Gaara would stay home again. He picked him up from where he lay on the couch, gently carrying him down the hall to his room. Once he was on his bed and tucked in, he found his phone and plugged it in, making sure it would be properly charged in the morning. He kissed Gaara on the forehead softly, then quietly shut his door. After cleaning up a bit and grabbing his things, he left the apartment, locking it behind him. He began to tear up, sad that he had to leave Gaara and that he wasn’t able to properly say goodbye. He sent a quick text to Kankuro letting him know that he had left, then one to Gaara to tell him goodnight and that he loved him. He wiped a tear away, reminding himself that he would see Gaara again on Saturday.

Friday passed for Lee as the rest of the week had, fairly busy and fairly fast. That night, he and Tenten began preparing for the next day. Gaara was going to come over and help them move some stuff around so that he could start to move in. Lee and Gaara would be taking Tenten’s room, as she had the master bedroom in the house. She and Lee had argued about it, Lee reasoning that he and Gaara had practically already shared the smaller room, but Tenten insisted that because she was rarely home, it made more sense that she take it. Lee was also able to convince her to let him take more of the responsibility in paying rent, reasoning that both he and Gaara would be paying for their share of the space. Tenten eventually agreed, albeit reluctantly. 

Gaara showed up the next morning bright and early carrying a modestly wrapped present. Lee had thrown open the door and pulled him in tightly, not realizing Gaara had been holding it. After assuring nothing had been broken, they stepped into the kitchen, joining Tenten who had been doing dishes.

“Good morning, Gaara!” she called, looking over her shoulder. 

“Hi, Tenten,” he said, walking up to her. She wiped her hands on a dish towel and placed them on her hips.

“What’s that?”

“Well, it’s for you. I just wanted to thank you for allowing me to move in here.”

Tenten beamed at Gaara, pulling him in for a brief hug. She ripped open the wrapping paper, revealing a small photo of her and Lee in a sturdy frame.

“I got it for your trips. It should be built well enough that it won’t get damaged while you travel.”

Tenten flashed her eyes up to Lee, silently asking if he had told Gaara yet. Lee shook his head slightly, his eyes getting wider. She frowned at him, then turned back to Gaara and smiled.

“This is so cute! You’re the sweetest. I’m glad you’re moving in! I know how, er… lonely Lee gets while I’m gone.”

Gaara furrowed his brow, and nodded.

“Well, I need to go grab something from my room. Gaara, can you go start packing Lee’s stuff? Lee, I need help with the… thing.”

Lee and Tenten hurried off to her room, leaving Gaara standing in the living room. She pushed him in the door, shutting it loudly behind her.

“You haven’t told him yet?!” she asked, harshly whispering. “Lee, he’s literally moving in right fucking now and you’ve left a detail this important out?”

“Tenten, I have not had the chance yet! He was sick on Thursday, what was I supposed to do? I did not want to overwhelm him!”

“Lee, this is absolutely ridiculous, this has gone on too long. You need to just get it over with and tell him before it’s too late. Isn’t he moving in next week?”

“Well, yes, that was the plan, but I--”

“Lee, go tell him. Right. Now.”

Lee nodded, his mouth quivering. He was so nervous to tell Gaara, but he was also very worried about making Tenten mad. He turned to walk out of her room and find Gaara. Now was the time. He couldn’t delay it any longer.

He stepped out of her door and bumped into the exact person he was looking for. Unphased, Gaara stared down at the ground. 

Lee swallowed loudly. “Gaara, may I speak with you in my room?”

Gaara looked up at Lee, his expression blank, and nodded. Lee grabbed his hand and pulled him to his room. Gaara didn’t clasp his fingers in Lee’s, just left them hanging limply. Lee’s stomach began to churn furiously. Once they were in his room, he shut the door and turned to Gaara.

“Gaara, I--”

“Are you breaking up with me?”

Lee stood, his mouth hanging open in shock. “Wha--?”

“I heard you talking to Tenten. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, I had come to ask you about something. But I heard her talking about this going on too long, and something about telling me before I moved in.” Gaara’s breathing picked up. “Are you? What did I do wrong?”

“Gaara, I would never break up with you! Our relationship is nearly perfect!” Lee began to cry, heart broken that his inability to properly communicate what was going on was causing Gaara such heartache. “I promise, I love you so much, Gaara, please--”

Lee had walked up to hold Gaara, but he stopped him, holding his hands away from his body. “Then do you not want me to move in? I’m not sure I understand, Lee, and my brain is currently giving me the worst case scenarios. I really need to know.” Gaara looked near the verge of tears, which never happened.

“Gaara, I--” Lee began to sob, crumpling to his knees. “Gaara, I am so, so sorry for not saying something before. Something did happen last weekend when I talked with Tsunade.”

Gaara dropped to his knees, concern riddling his face. “What did she say to you?! I swear, I will--”

“Gaara, she… she invited me to skate with Tenten. To go on a trip with them. Skate internationally. For four months. I did not want to tell you because I… I was unsure of how you would react, and I did not want to make you upset. I wanted to make a decision first to make things easier on you, but it seems I have made things so much worse.”

Lee continued to cry, holding his knees to his chest. Gaara paused, then grabbed Lee’s hands, pulling him toward himself. He laid Lee against his chest, their angle awkward and slightly uncomfortable. Lee wrapped himself into Gaara, clutching the soft fabric of his sweater in his hands. He continued to cry, the stress and anxiety from keeping it from Gaara building up and bursting out all at once. After a few minutes, Lee calmed down, breathing heavily as Gaara rubbed his back. He looked up at him with watery eyes.

“I am so sorry I did not tell you before,” he whispered.

“I’m not sure why you didn’t, to be honest,” he replied, frustration at the edge of his voice. “I could have made the decision much easier for you. Obviously you’re going to go.”

Lee blinked at Gaara. “Really? You wouldn’t… break up with me? Or get upset? Or miss me?”

Gaara sighed, rolling his eyes slightly. “Why would I break up with you or get upset? This is your dream, Lee. Why would I keep you from that? Obviously I’ll miss you, and it might get lonely here, but I’ll survive. I worry more about you and your anxiety. But this is an opportunity of a lifetime. You shouldn’t let anything keep you from it.”

Gaara leaned down, kissing Lee gently on the cheek. 

“Gaara, I… I am so sorry I thought you would react differently. I suppose that was my anxiety getting the best of me. Thank you, Gaara. Thank you so much. I am really excited for this, I think. I already have everything settled with work and the skating program.”

“Yeah?” Gaara asked gently, running his hands through Lee’s hair.

“My parents are going to run the skate program, as well as Neji. I was hoping that Kankuro would help out, too. Then I will work remotely from wherever I am competing. I have most of the programs taken care of, I just need to assign someone to do the art program.”

Gaara paused, listening to Lee, then gasped. “Oh, I know who would be willing to do it. Do you remember Sai? The police man I worked with who was looking to foster? Well, he now has a foster son and is actually planning on going back to school to become an art teacher. I think he would love to take care of your art program.”

Lee gasped. “Really?”

Gaara nodded and kissed Lee on the head. “I will contact him on Monday and let you know what he says.”

Lee let a few extra tears fall down his cheeks as he sat up to give Gaara a light kiss. “Thank you, Gaara. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, Lee. I’m so excited for you.”

Lee finally felt the weight of the situation lift from his shoulders. It was still going to be hard, and they would have a lot to figure out, but he was going to be able to accomplish his dream. And Gaara was fully supportive of it.


	5. Worth the Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenten and Lee meet with Tsunade to prepare for their trip.

After sitting on the floor of what was soon to be Tenten’s room for a little while longer, Lee stood, pulling Gaara up with him. He pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tightly. Now that a majority of his anxiety had lifted, excitement had taken over.

“Thank you for being so supportive, Gaara. You are the best boyfriend in the world.”

Gaara laughed lightly, pulling back to look at Lee and tuck a strand of hair behind his ear. “No I’m not. You are. I’m just trying to keep up.”

They began putting some of Lee’s things in storage boxes to make it easier to move it into their new room. They didn’t have to take it far, but Lee had a lot of knick knacks and various mementos that would be easier to carry all bunched together. After almost everything had been packed up, Tenten knocked on the door, poking her head in. 

“Uh, hey guys... can I come in?”

Gaara nodded, smiling at her. She stepped in awkwardly, staring Lee down. They paused, neither speaking first.

“Yes, I told him!” Lee blurted, unable to stand the silence any longer.

Tenten breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. Holy shit, Lee, that took way too long.”

“It’s okay, Tenten. At least he told me before getting on the plane,” Gaara said good-humoredly, attempting to dispel some of the tension in the room. They all laughed easily, settling back into the comfortable mood they were usually in around each other. 

“Are you about ready to start moving things? I have all of my stuff ready to transfer,” she said, walking around the bare room.

“Yes! I think that we should move the beds first since they take up a majority of the space. Let’s disassemble them, then we can clean the floors before moving them.”

Tenten nodded, sticking her thumb out at Lee. She walked back down the hall. Moments later, they heard the vacuum turn on.

“I think we should put the boxes outside of your room first, then move the bed.” Gaara stood, grabbing one of the boxes to carry it out to the hall.

“That is a great idea!” Lee said, hopping up to take the box from Gaara. He smiled, rolling his eyes at Lee before grabbing another one. They made quick work of it, stacking each of the boxes out of the way at the back of the hall. Once all had been stacked, they double checked that everything had been taken care of, then moved the mattress and began to disassemble the bed frame.

“I was thinking that we could move the dresser as it is, that way we do not need to take any of the clothes out,” Lee said, removing one of the screws from the wooden planks. 

“That’s a good idea. I’ll bring my dresser when I move, that way you don’t have to take any of your clothes out,” Gaara replied, grabbing the screwdriver from Lee’s hand.

“That is so considerate of you, but I have already made the space!” Lee looked over at him and beamed.

Gaara smiled back. “Okay.”

It took them a bit longer than expected to dismantle the bed frame, but they eventually got it apart. Lee stood up, his back cracking as he stretched. “I am going to go see if Tenten needs any help with her bed. Then we can get this show on the road!”

“Please bring the vacuum back with you,” Gaara called as Lee walked down the hall. He stopped outside of Tenten’s room, knocking lightly.

“Tenten, do you need any help-- oh, sorry!” His voice dropped to a harsh whisper as he realized that she was on the phone. She held a finger up to him to let him know that she would only be a second, so he stood in the doorway, surveying the bed frame that she had taken apart. Remembering Gaara’s request, he grabbed the vacuum, taking it to him while he waited for her to be done with the phone call.

“Here you go, love!” he said, setting the vacuum down inside the door.

“Thank you. Is Tenten ready?” Gaara asked, grabbing the handle of the vacuum to plug it in.

“I am not sure yet! She is on a phone call. I will come grab you when she is.”

“Sounds good. Lee?”

“Yes?”

“I love you,” Gaara said, kissing Lee on the jaw. 

“I love you, too,” he said back, pulling Gaara’s chin up to kiss him on the lips. They continued to kiss, Lee’s face flushing as Gaara’s hands threaded through his hair. He pulled back when he heard Tenten leaving her room. 

“I will be right back,” he breathed, kissing him lightly once more.

“Okay.” Gaara smiled at him cheekily, reaching his hand around Lee’s waist to squeeze his butt.

Lee yelped, jumping back. “Gaara!”

“Sorry,” he replied, smirking at him as he turned around to begin vacuuming.

“No you are not!”

Gaara clicked on the vacuum. “You’re right.”

Lee’s laughter joined the sound of the vacuum as he turned down the hall. He walked into the kitchen where Tenten was taking a swig out of her water bottle.

“Hey, sorry about that. Tsunade called.”

Butterflies filled Lee’s stomach.

“Oh? What did she need?”

“She wants to meet with us this Wednesday.” Tenten shrugged. “I didn’t tell her about your decision. I figured you would need the extra time in case you wanted to back out. You can tell her then. She should have some more information for us, too.”

Lee frowned in determination. “I appreciate that, though I assure you I will not be backing out! This is an excellent opportunity. It may be challenging, but I will do my best to not let you, Tsunade, or anyone down!”

Tenten smiled. “I know that, Lee. But I want you to feel secure with the whole process.” 

“Thank you, Tenten, I appreciate that. Shall we start moving your bed?”

She nodded, turning to walk down the hall toward her room. Lee followed after her, bouncing on his toes at the thought of meeting with Tsunade. They began grabbing the boxes from her room as they had done to Lee’s, talking about their upcoming trip.

“How many different countries will we be going to?” Lee asked as he stacked Tenten’s box on his.

“I’m not sure! The most I’ve done in one tour was ten, but it depends on the competitions currently available and how much they want us to skate. We could do one competition in each city, or sometimes we skate for weeks in the same one.”

“That is so exciting! It is going to be so fun. What do we do when we are not competing?”

Tenten picked up another box. “Sometimes we get to explore, sometimes we train. I’ve heard that Tsunade is a real hard ass when it comes to training. But, you’re used to that kind of thing with the way Gai trains you.”

“Tenten! Gai is not a hard… trainer. He just wants us to succeed!”

She laughed, handing her box to Lee. “I guess so, but I prefer Kakashi’s training techniques. He gives basic instructions, provides somewhat helpful advice when he feels like it, then sits on his ass and reads the rest of the time. Then I just figure it out by myself or improvise. Gai yells too much. It stresses me out.”

Lee brushed his hands off now that the boxes had been removed from Tenten’s room. “I do not think he yells on purpose. He is just very passionate.”

Tenten shrugged. “I know.” 

They heard the vacuum turn off down the hall. “Gaara, can we bring Tenten’s bed in now?” Lee yelled.

“Yes,” Gaara yelled back, causing Lee to smile. 

Tenten groaned, shoving Lee’s shoulder. “You’re such a sap, Lee!”

Lee laughed. “Tenten, I cannot help it! I love him so much!”

“I know. I’m glad. Did you hide the ring when you guys were packing?”

“I slipped it into my dresser under my clothes!” Lee said, tapping the side of his head. “There is no reason for him to go in there, so he will not find it!”

Tenten and Lee grabbed each side of her mattress, carefully maneuvering it out of her room and into the kitchen. Once Lee assured that Gaara wasn’t in the way, they moved it into Lee’s room, setting it against the wall. 

“Damn, Lee, do you work out?” Gaara said teasingly, squeezing his bicep.

“Every day!” Lee flashed him a bright smile as Gaara laughed. They continued to move Tenten’s bed into the room, assembling it quickly. She made her bed as Gaara and Lee moved theirs into the master bedroom. They set up the frame, running into only small complications, then set the mattress on top. Lee grabbed Gaara around the waist, flopping him onto the bare bed.

“I am so excited!” he yelled, kissing each of Gaara’s cheeks.

“I am, too,” Gaara replied, laughing lightly. “Once we’re done here today, I’m going to head home and start packing. Next week is going to be a bit busy for me at the office, so I want to get a head start so I can move in next Saturday. Does that still work for you?”

Lee nodded, his face falling slightly. “Gaara, are you sure about all of this? I am not sure when Tenten and I will be leaving. I feel terrible that I will be abandoning you when we are just moving in together.”

Gaara gently rubbed his thumb across Lee’s cheek. “Of course I’m sure about it. It will give me a chance to adjust to the new place. Kankuro will want to come over a lot, I’m sure. The TV here is bigger.”

Lee laughed, rubbing Gaara’s back. “He is more than welcome to come over anytime!”

Gaara snuggled into the crook of Lee’s neck. “Thank you.”

They laid for a moment longer, staring at each other lovingly. They heard a thunk outside of the door. Tenten had plopped a box next to the room. Lee laughed lightly. “I think that she is ready to finish up.” 

Gaara rolled off the bed. Lee followed suit, stepping outside of the room to grab the box Tenten had set down and bring it into the room.

“Thank you!” Tenten said in a sing-song voice, pinching Lee on the cheek. “I’m trying to get most of this done before Hinata comes over.”

“Hinata is coming over?” Lee asked, his thick brow quirking up

“She asked if she could stay the night. I never get to see her, so I figured I would make the time. Is that okay?”

“Of course! I am glad you will be able to spend some time with her.”

Tenten smiled at him before grabbing one of her boxes and carrying it to her new room. Lee stepped back into his new room where Gaara had begun putting sheets on the bed. He poked at his ribs before slipping his arms around his waist. 

“Tenten is having a friend over tonight. Would it be alright if I stayed at your place? I could help you pack!”

“Of course, Lee. That sounds nice.” Gaara rested his hands over Lee’s.

“Wonderful! Do you think that Kankuro would be okay with it?”

“He doesn’t mind. He might even be over at Neji’s tonight.”

Lee placed a kiss on Gaara’s head before slipping his hands away from around his waist, tickling him slightly. They continued to move boxes between rooms. They finished quickly and began unpacking. Once Lee’s dresser had been moved into the room, Gaara opened it, checking to see how much room Lee had left.

“Lee, do you--”

Lee, cutting him off, slipping his hand out of the dresser and slamming it shut.

“I--I… please don’t look in there! Some of the clothes are… dirty…” Lee stammered, worried that Gaara would find the ring.

“Lee, why do you have dirty clothes in your dresser?” Gaara asked, quirking his brow.

“I needed somewhere to store them while we moved everything!” Lee said hurriedly, redirecting Gaara’s attention to the boxes on the floor. After another hour had passed, they heard a knock at the door.

“I’ve got it!” Tenten called. Lee could hear her opening the door and greeting her friend. He stood to say hi, leaving Gaara momentarily to continue setting out different odds and ends.

Hinata stood in their entry way, her long dark hair braided behind her as she looked around timidly.

“Hello, Lee,” she said softly, smiling at him. They had met Hinata in highschool. She became close friends with Tenten, often staying the night or spending the weekend with them in favor of being around her horrible father.

“Hi, Hinata!” Lee pulled her in for a brief hug. “How have you been?”

“Oh, just fine. I started working at the bakery downtown. It’s been a lot of fun.”

“That is so wonderful! We will have to stop by sometime!”

Hinata nodded, smiling shyly. Tenten grabbed her hand, pulling her to the kitchen. Lee followed after, making his way back to where Gaara was.

“Love, are you ready to go? Anything that is left I can take care of later.”

Gaara shut the closet door, brushing his hands off on his pants. “I think so. I grabbed your overnight stuff so we can leave as soon as you’re ready.”

Lee’s eyes filled with tears for the millionth time that week. He stepped over to Gaara, scooping him up in his arms and squeezing him tightly. “You are so incredibly considerate.”

“It’s no problem,” Gaara said, somewhat strained. Lee set him down, smiling at him. 

“Let’s go!”

After grabbing the stuff Gaara had packed, and saying goodbye to Hinata and Tenten, they got into Gaara’s car, driving down the road as the sun set. The weight that had been sitting on Lee’s chest for the past week had lifted. He grabbed Gaara’s hand, using it as a microphone as he lip-synced to the song on the radio. Gaara, happy that Lee’s mood had improved, laughed and sang along, doing his best to focus on the road when the love of his life was so distracting. 

Lee was grinning so wide that his face hurt. It was all going to work out! He would miss Gaara terribly and would most likely experience a lot of anxiety while he was gone, but it would pass just as this anxious moment had and all other ones before it. He still had his career, he still had his boyfriend, and now, he had his dream.

As they walked up to Gaara’s apartment, Lee swung their hands dramatically, so caught up in his happiness. He stopped abruptly, looking over at Gaara and gasping.

“Gaara! Get on my back!”

Gaara sighed, but smiled. “No, Lee. Let’s just go up to the apartment.”

“Gaara, please? Please?!” Lee whined, bending in front of him.

“Oh my gosh. How old are we?” Gaara laughed, hopping onto Lee’s back. Lee adjusted him slightly, hooking his arms underneath his legs.

“Age never matters, Gaara! Youth is a state of mind!”

They both continued to laugh as Gaara rested his chin on Lee’s shoulder. They walked up the flights of stairs to Kankuro and Gaara’s small apartment. Gaara hopped off Lee’s back, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. Kankuro stood in the living room in short shorts, doing what seemed to be yoga.

“Oh, hello, Kankuro!” Lee called, closing the door behind him. Kankuro shot up out of the pose he was in, stumbling slightly.

“Oh, fuck, I was just uh-- Gaara, why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?” Kankuro said through clenched teeth. 

“It’s still my home for another week. I don’t have to tell you anything.”

Lee listened to Gaara and Kankuro argue for a few minutes as he looked around their living room, trying to figure out how much Gaara needed to pack and what he was leaving behind for Kankuro to keep. He stepped out onto their small deck to look at Gaara’s plants. The entire space was overflowing with them. What had started out as a small bowl of succulents had become several potted cacti, an aloe vera plant, and even a small pot of daisies. Lee knew that Gaara worked hard to take care of them and was excited to help out. That is, if Gaara let him. He was very protective.

When Lee stepped back inside, Kankuro was stomping around the living room looking for his keys. He now had pants on and seemed to be leaving.

“Oh, Kankuro, I am so sorry! I don’t mean to kick you out, I can go home!” Lee said, putting his hands up.

“No, don’t worry about it, man. I was gonna go to Neji’s tonight anyway. He’s making me dinner. You know I don’t mind you being around.” Kankuro stepped closer to Lee, lightly clapping him on the shoulder.

“Laters, man. Bye, Gaara,” he said, stressing Gaara’s name. When Kankuro had shut the door to the apartment, Gaara flipped it off. Kankuro quickly popped his head back in.

“I fucking knew you would do that,” he said, extending the same gesture that Gaara had. He slammed the door once again, stomping away as Gaara and Lee stood in the living room. Lee always thought it was funny when Gaara and Kankuro fought like this. They usually did so when they were feeling particularly emotional for any reason, since neither of them were very good at expressing those feelings in a normal way. Lee assumed that they were both feeling somewhat sad about living apart soon and were making up for it through childish squabbles.

“Sorry about that. What did you want to do for dinner?” Gaara asked, turning to Lee.

“I am not in the mood for anything in particular,” Lee said, stepping slightly into their kitchen. 

Gaara walked with him, opening their fridge and grabbing a few containers. “Well, let’s keep it simple then with some salad.”

They made dinner in relative silence, chopping their vegetables before adding it to a large bowl of lettuce. Once everything had been prepared, they sat at the table together, their hands clasped as they ate next to each other. Once they had finished, Gaara leaned into Lee who had begun to rub his back.

“We did a lot today. Thank you for your help! Would you like to start packing tonight or tomorrow morning?” Lee asked, his voice softening.

Gaara nestled further into Lee. “Mm, tomorrow. I am too tired to start tonight.”

Lee laughed gently. “Sounds like a plan.”

Lee began to work his hands deeper into Gaara’s back, easing some of the tension that had settled there. He felt a pang in his chest as he realized that some of it was probably caused by him. He did his best to not feel guilty, reminding himself that he hadn’t meant to and that it was all okay now. He knew that next time he needed to communicate better. But for now, everything was okay. 

Once Gaara’s back was significantly less tight, Lee stood up, taking their dishes to the sink. Gaara stood with him, waiting for him to finish. Once he had, he wrapped his arms around his neck, hopping up slightly to wrap his legs around Lee’s middle. Lee obliged his silent request, carrying him down the hall to Gaara’s room. On nights when Gaara was feeling particularly lonely, sad, or stressed, all he wanted to do was be held. Lee was happy to do so every time. When they got to his room, he sat down on the bed, scooting back until Gaara was sitting half on the bed and half on his lap. They sat there in the soothing darkness of Gaara’s room, holding each other and kissing gently. 

“I’m sorry you felt like you couldn’t tell me about the trip,” Gaara mumbled sleepily. 

“No, baby, please do not worry about it. It was my fault, I let my thoughts get the best of me. I promise I will never hide anything like that from you again!” Lee said, leaning him back gently to press their foreheads together.

“Okay,” Gaara said quietly, avoiding Lee’s gaze. “I-- I was so worried. I didn’t know what was going on. I really thought you were breaking up with me.”

Lee looked at him sadly. “I am so sorry, my love. I would never be able to break up with you. You mean too much to me. You are my entire world. I am so in love with you, Gaara.”

“Promise?”

“Of course.” Lee tilted his head up, gently kissing Gaara on the forehead. Gaara pulled Lee even closer, resting his head in the crook of Lee’s neck. At some point they slipped under the covers of the bed and Lee pulled Gaara into his arms. He knew he had messed up. But he was going to do everything in his power to make things right and reassure Gaara that there was nothing that could change the way he felt about him. He was sure that deep down inside Gaara knew that, but he wanted to make sure.

As the minutes ticked by, Gaara slowly fell asleep in Lee’s arms. Once he was sure he wouldn’t wake up, Lee adjusted them so that Gaara was laying on his chest. He watched his back rise and fall gently as he breathed, a subtle display of peace that wasn’t always common for Gaara. But Lee was glad that he could find that with him. He knew that Gaara didn’t trust many people, and being one of the few that he did trust meant the world to Lee. 

They woke the next morning with Gaara wrapped around Lee. He turned in bed, kissing him sleepily as the rising sun lit up the room. They lay there for an hour, breathing each other in and talking softly. When the rumbling in Lee’s stomach could no longer be ignored, they got up and ate breakfast. After Gaara had finished his coffee, they began packing his stuff. They didn’t want to pack too much, knowing that Gaara still had a week left in the apartment, but they were able to get the bulk of it into boxes. Gaara didn’t need to bring a lot, seeing as Lee already had most of the things they would need, which meant the moving process would go fairly smoothly. 

They were both feeling in high spirits when Gaara dropped Lee back off at his house that night. They stood on the porch together, neither wanting to leave the other.

“Soon we we won’t have to say goodbye,” Gaara said as Lee rubbed his hands down his arms.

“You are right. And I cannot wait for that day.” Lee leaned in, kissing Gaara’s forehead. Gaara tilted his chin up, catching Lee’s lips with his own before he could pull away.

“Neither can I.”

They hugged tightly, Lee rubbing Gaara’s back softly. After a few moments, they pulled away. Lee watched as Gaara walked back to his car, reversed out of the driveway, and drove off toward his apartment. Lee sighed as multiple emotions flooded through his body. Relief, excitement, anxiety, and love all mixed with each other. Suddenly he was exhausted. 

He began to walk toward his room, then turned, forgetting that he had switched rooms the day previous. He prepared everything he needed for work the next day, waited for the text from Gaara letting him know he was home, then promptly fell asleep. 

He didn’t hear from Gaara again until half way through his work day. Near lunch time, Lee got a call from him. His picture, changed from the last time Gaara had called, popped up on Lee’s phone making him smile. He had so many wonderful pictures of Gaara, he could never decide on which one to set as his contact picture. This one was a picture of Gaara wearing Lee’s favorite hoodie, attempting to swipe the phone from Lee’s hand as he took the picture. Distracted, Lee almost forgot to answer, but swiped the phone open at the last second.

“Gaara! Hello! How did you sleep?”

Gaara laughed on the other line. “Hi, Lee. I slept fine. What about you?”

Lee smiled at the sound of Gaara’s laughter. “Very well. I missed you, though!”

“I missed you, too.”

They fell into a comfortable silence.

“I talked to Sai,” Gaara said, breaking the quiet.

“Oh, you did? Thank you so much! What did he say?”

“He said that he would be happy to take your art program over. I let him know that you would follow up with him regarding the details. I’ll send you his contact information.”

“Gaara, that is amazing! Thank you for doing that.”

“Of course. Who do you have running the skate program again?” Gaara asked, his voice straining as he stretched.

“Gai and Kakashi! Between the two of them, they should hopefully be able to handle things,” Lee said, giving Gaara a thumbs up even though he couldn’t see it.

“Well, I will be there too, of course,” Gaara said.

Tears welled up in Lee’s eyes. “You would do that?”

“Of course, Lee,” Gaara said, laughing slightly. “I’ve been going to the program since before we started dating. Why would I stop now?”

Lee began to cry openly, sniffling between his words. “Th-thank you, Gaara. I love you. So, so much.”

“I love you, too, Lee. I would do anything for you.”

“Thank you. As would I.”

They talked for a moment longer, discussing work and some of the details for Gaara moving in that weekend. When they hung up, Lee turned to his computer, furiously typing an email to Sai. He had already prepared a detailed document regarding the program and sent it along with a lengthy thank you, ending it with a request to let Lee know if he had any questions. He shot a quick email to his boss letting him know that all programs had been taken for the time that Lee would be gone. Lee looked at his to-do list and grinned. Everything was going according to plan.

Wednesday finally came and Lee was buzzing with excitement. He had sent Gaara a quick text, letting him know he was meeting with Tsunade and that he would update him as soon as she left. Lee felt terrible for the anxiety he had caused Gaara and wanted him to be fully aware of everything that was happening. Lee had been puttering around the house, cleaning anything he could find before Tsunade got there. Tenten had locked herself in her room, getting annoyed by Lee’s anxious energy. Gaara’s puzzle still sat on the table unfinished, so Lee prepared an area at the kitchen bar where they could sit. After anxiously doing push ups in the living room for a few minutes, he heard a knock at the door. He squeaked and jumped up from off the floor. 

“Tenten, you answer it! I am too nervous!” Lee yelled, anxiously pacing between the living room and the kitchen. Tenten ran up to him, a bright smile on her face. She squeezed him tightly, doing her best to help him calm down. He squeezed her back, kissing the top of her head. She let go, running toward the front door.

“Hey, kiddo,” he heard Tsunade say. Tenten greeted her, babbling excitedly. They both appeared out of the hallway as Lee stood at attention, his face serious and determined.

“Hello, Tsunade! Welcome to our home. Please make yourself comfortable! Would you like anything to drink?” he asked hurriedly. She chuckled, sliding onto one of the bar stools.

“You got any alcohol?”

Lee thought to the bottle of wine he kept on hand for Gaara and Tenten at all times. He nodded, racing over to the cupboard and pulling out his nicest wine glass. He poured some for her, doing his best to not spill in his excitement.

“Here you are!” Lee said, handing the glass to her.

“Thanks.” 

She tipped the glass back, draining it in one go. Lee stared at her somewhat shocked. She handed the glass back to him and he poured her another, staring at her the entire time while making sure to not fill it as much as he had before. He didn’t want her to get drunk. That would be an interesting first meeting. He handed it back to her and, to his relief, she began sipping on it much slower than the first time.

“So,” she began, sucking on her teeth with her tongue and staring at the liquid in the glass. “Lee. How are you feeling about the whole trip thing? Have you decided if you’re going to come?”

Lee smiled at her, bringing a fist up by his chin. “I am! I talked with my boyfriend and I have worked everything out with my job and the skate program. Everything is lined up and ready to go!”

“Fuck yeah!” Tsunade said, slapping the counter. She picked up her wine glass, swirling it absentmindedly. “We’re going to make so much money…” she muttered under her breath, taking another drink. “Well, I’m glad you got everything worked out because we leave next week.”

Lee’s heart dropped into his stomach. Next week? Gaara was moving in that weekend… that only gave them a few days together before Lee left for four months. Or maybe even more. His breathing began to grow uneven, but he tried to hide it.

“Next week? But… Gaara. My boyfriend. He is moving in this weekend. Is there a way we can push it back farther?”

Tsunade sighed. “Sorry, kid. I’ve already booked all of the competitions. We have to go through with it now. I was betting on you saying yes. It was quite an expensive gamble.”

Lee looked down at the counter with tears in his eyes. “I understand.”

Tenten slid next to Lee, grabbing his hand. “Hey, it’s okay. Gaara will be okay by himself for a bit. He might even enjoy it! You know how he likes his alone time. And you’ll still have a few days together.”

Lee said nothing, squeezing Tenten’s hand in response.

She sighed. “Lee, if you don’t want to go through with it, I can pay for your fees so Tsunade doesn’t lose any money. I would understand.”

Lee drew a shuddered breath. “No, I still want to go. It will just be a bit harder to leave.” Lee looked up, his fiery determination returned. “It is still worth it.”

Tsunade smirked at him, reaching across the counter to slug him on the shoulder. “That’s right. You’re gonna do great,” she said, her words slurring slightly. Noting that, and her flushed cheeks, Lee casually put the bottle of wine away. Did she already drink before she showed up? Kakashi had mentioned she liked her liquor, but Lee didn’t expect this much. 

“So, shall we get into the logistics of this bitch?” 

For the next hour, Tsunade gave them the details of their trip. They would be travelling to sixteen cities, four countries in total. Each week they would be somewhere new with one to two competitions in each. Depending on how well they did, they had the potential to go to the championship. While this offered a huge cash prize and a chance at a brand deal, it also meant that their trip might be extended by another few weeks, possibly even a month. It all depended on the details of the sponsorship.

Lee was torn. He wanted to win, but he didn’t want to be away from Gaara any longer than he already would. He decided to save that thought for when he was actually competing. No sense in worrying about it now. 

“Alright, any questions?” Tsunade asked, clapping her hands together. Tenten and Lee looked at each other, then turned back to her shaking their heads.

“Great. Your flight leaves next Wednesday morning. Try to get everything sorted out before then. If you need anything, try to figure it out yourself, then call me if you can’t. I’ll send your tickets and hotel information when I get back to my hotel.”

“Wonderful! Thank you so much. Er, are you going to be okay driving?” Lee asked, frowning slightly.

“Ha! I’ve driven after drinking two full bottles of wine. This is nothing.”

Lee still wasn’t so sure, but didn’t want to argue with her about it. After requesting a text that she had gotten home safe, Lee closed the front door. He sighed, turning to walk back into the house. He smiled when he saw Tenten standing at the end of the hallway. Even though he wouldn’t have Gaara with him, he would have her. He hugged her, happy that he would get to spend so much time with her after she had been travelling so much. They cleaned up the kitchen, talking about the trip and the different things they needed to prepare. Once Tenten had gone to bed, Lee sat on the couch and called Gaara.

“Hello?” Gaara said, his voice sleepy.

“Hi, Gaara. You are the most handsome man in the world.” Lee began to cry.

“Thank you, Lee,” Gaara said, exhaling a laugh. “How did the meeting go?”

“It was fine, except… we leave next Wednesday.”

Gaara was quiet on the other line. “Next Wednesday?”

Lee nodded and sniffled. “Yes. It is so soon. I am so sorry, my love.”

“Lee, it’s okay,” Gaara said. Shuffling could be heard in the background as he sat up in bed. “That just means that you’ll be coming home sooner.”

“I guess that is true,” Lee replied, wiping a tear from his face.

“I am so proud of you, Lee. I’m so glad that you’ll be living your dream.”

“Thank you, Gaara. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, Lee. Try not to be too sad. You’re going to do great. And if your anxiety spikes tonight, you’ll call me, right?”

“Of course.”

They talked for a while longer as Lee filled Gaara in on the details of his trip. Gaara was excited for Lee, which meant the world to him. He would always be in awe of Gaara and wonder what he ever did to deserve him in his life. 

They said goodnight, promising to see each other the next day. Lee hung up, exhausted yet again. He crawled into bed, idly noting that soon he wouldn’t have to sleep alone. Well, at least for a while. The spot next to him would be filled for a few nights, but then it would be empty again. But he wouldn’t think about that now. He would just dream of holding Gaara in his arms permanently. It would be worth the wait. Gaara always was.


	6. Moving In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaara moves in!!

Lee felt conflicted on how quickly the next few days passed. On one hand, he was excited for Gaara to move in. On the other, it just meant that he would be leaving sooner. He knew that he wasn’t leaving Gaara permanently, but it felt like he was and it scared him. He had been through a break up before, and this felt similar, just with more warning. He tried to remind himself often that they weren’t breaking up, just going long distance for a little while. And that he could do.

He had read a few articles on long distance relationships, wanting to know how he could best support Gaara from far away. A lot of them talked about there being days where they were disconnected or days when they would miscommunicate, possibly causing arguments. But above all, the articles said that it would help bring them closer in some ways and that reuniting was always the sweetest part. He found himself watching couple reunion videos for almost an hour, crying the entire time. He could picture Gaara in the airport, standing and waiting for Lee. He would run up, scoop him off his feet, and plant hundreds of kisses anywhere he could reach. And then…

That was it! When he and Gaara reunited after his trip, he would get down on one knee, pull out the ring, and ask Gaara to marry him. It was perfect! What a romantic gesture, especially after leaving for so long. Gaara would definitely remember it for a long time. He could even have Gai and Kakashi decorate their house with rose petals and chocolate covered strawberries for when they got home! 

Yes. This could work!

Lee smiled, opening his eyes from his place on the floor. He had been meditating all morning in anticipation of Gaara moving in. He was happy to solve another piece of the puzzle he called life during his session. While most people opted to not think about anything during their meditation, Lee preferred to try to untangle any problems he was having or think of positive things. Most of his meditation ended up being dedicated to Gaara.

He stood from the floor, stretching gently as his body loosened itself after sitting still for so long. Lee checked the time. Even with it being a big day, Gaara had still voiced that he wanted a chance to sleep in. It had been a busy week at the office and he wanted to rest properly so that he could give Lee his full attention in the few days they had left together. 

Lee frowned at the thought of having limited time with him, but quickly shook it out of his mind. Now wasn’t the time to worry about that. He would have plenty of time to miss Gaara later. 

Lee checked the time again. He was due to pick up Neji in thirty minutes. To his surprise, Neji had offered to help move Gaara in. He must have gotten an earful about it from Kankuro, because Neji hated nothing more than helping people with something so intimate and tedious. Lee smiled at the thought of his friend. Not only did he want to be successful on this trip for himself, but he also had a lot of people he wanted to make proud, one of those people being Neji. Tenten’s fame had done a lot of good for his shop, and Lee hoped that if he had any chance of succeeding, that he would be able to use that to help him out. Neji had always been a good friend. Lee wanted to return the favor.

Deciding to get a head start, Lee slapped on a beanie, laced up his Vans, then headed out the door. He drove for a while, humming absentmindedly to the radio, before pulling into a store parking lot to pick up some bagels. Though he found himself in good spirits a majority of the time, the three he would be spending the most time with today were usually in far better moods when they had eaten. 

Once the goods had been acquired, he drove to Neji’s house, more and more butterflies filling his stomach as he thought of Gaara moving in.

At the end of the night, Gaara would come home to Lee. He would make dinner with Lee, do chores with Lee, pay rent with Lee, and sleep next to Lee. Gaara was taking so much of Lee into his life, and he was surprised to learn that it didn’t overwhelm him. He knew that he could be a lot sometimes. He often found people exhausted by being around him, which really hurt. But he seemed to have gotten lucky enough to find someone who never grew sick of him, in fact wanted more of him in his life. It always moved Lee to tears when he thought about it.

As Neji walked up to his car, he wiped those tears away, not wanting his emotions to irritate Neji so early in the morning. Though he had softened up to Lee quite a bit, he still struggled to deal with some of his more dramatic tendencies when he was tired or upset himself. Lee knew this wasn’t his fault. He had grown up in a toxic atmosphere that had taught him that emotion equaled weakness. But Neji had learned over the years that the opposite was true. He always felt safe coming to Lee with his feelings, something that Lee took great pride in. 

Neji slid into the front seat, dark sunglasses covering his eyes. One side of his head had been shaved clean, the rest of his long, brown hair falling over his other shoulder.

“Oh! Neji! Your hair! When did you do that?”

Neji sighed. “Just the other day. I wanted to try something new. Does it look… bad?”

“No, it looks wonderful! Can I touch it?”

Neji snorted a laugh. “Sure, go ahead. I told Kankuro it didn’t look bad.”

Lee frowned, gently running his hands over the scratchy surface of Neji’s freshly shaved head. “Kankuro said it looked bad?”

Neji shifted uncomfortably. “No, not really. He likes it, but… he did it himself. And he was worried he did a bad job.”

Lee stuck a thumb out. “It looks quite excellent!”

Neji mumbled a thank you, but fell back into silence as Lee reversed out of his driveway.

Not more than twenty minutes later, they pulled into what was soon to be Gaara’s old apartment complex. Lee’s stomach did flips at the thought. Once they had parked, Lee grabbed the food from the back seat. Neji raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“Bagels for all of the helpers!”

Neji smirked, slapping Lee on the back lightly. “Fuck yeah. Thanks, Lee.”

“It is no problem! Thank you for being willing to come and help today! It truly means the world to me and Gaara.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever,” Neji said, pushing Lee gently. But the light smile on his face said everything. Lee smiled back as they started to walk up the stairs to Gaara’s apartment. When they reached the top, Neji huffed.

“Are we really going to be carrying shit up and down these things?”

“Only down! And do not worry, Gaara left a lot of stuff for Kankuro.”

Lee knocked brightly on the door. Gaara opened it a full minute later, still dressed in his pajamas.

“Lee?” he said, rubbing his eye. “I thought we weren’t starting until nine.”

Lee checked his watch. It was a quarter until nine. When was Gaara going to get up?

“Oh, right! Well, I brought breakfast! I wanted to make sure everyone was well fueled for the day!”

Gaara huffed a laugh, then stepped aside to allow Neji and Lee in. He nodded a greeting to Neji, then stopped Lee at the door, standing on his toes to kiss his cheek. 

“Good morning, love. How did you sleep?” Lee asked, smiling down at Gaara.

“Mm, alright. I was too excited to get any proper sleep.”

Lee laughed, pulling Gaara in and rubbing his back. They stood there for a minute, causing Neji to grab the bagels out of Lee’s hand with a huff. After rummaging through the kitchen drawers for a few seconds, Neji called out, startling Gaara and Lee.

“Kankuro! Where are the knives?!”

The sound of stumbling could be heard as Kankuro darted out of bed, skidding into the kitchen area in his boxers.

“Babe? What are you doing here?”

Neji looked around dramatically. “Helping your brother move, unlike you.”

Lee stepped further into the apartment. “Neji, we have not even started yet.”

Neji ignored him as Kankuro stepped around the counter, grabbing a knife from the one drawer Neji hadn’t looked in. He passed it to Neji who took it, then gently brushed his lips over Kankuro’s jaw. Kankuro blushed in response.

“Lee said he likes my hair and that you did a good job.”

“Eh, really?” Kankuro asked, his face still flushed as he scratched the back of his neck. 

“Yes! You did a wonderful job!” Lee confirmed, sticking his thumb out and smiling at him.

“Nothing like the time Lee tried to dye my hair…” Gaara said, slipping away from Lee to grab a bagel.

“Gaara! I did my best, I did not mean to get it on your face!”

Gaara laughed. “Well, you did, and I looked like I had a terrible rash for days. It was nothing compared to the first time you found out I dyed my hair, though.”

Kankuro laughed, spitting bagel crumbs. “Holy shit, that was so funny.” 

Neji looked at Kankuro. “What happened?”

Ignoring Lee’s protestful look, Gaara told him the story. 

“Lee was staying over one time and he had fallen asleep in the afternoon. I wasn’t tired, so I decided to take the time to redye my hair. Apparently Lee didn’t know I dyed my hair, and walked in when I was rinsing the dye out. All he saw was a bunch of red on the curtain and freaked out.” Gaara paused to laugh. “He ripped open the curtain screaming, ‘OH NO, GAARA WHAT HAPPENED, ARE YOU OKAY, OH NO, PLEASE, OH NO’ and I screamed because he scared the shit out of me. It took me half an hour to calm him down, he almost fainted.”

Neji snort laughed at the story, causing Kankuro to laugh even harder, effectively choking on his food. Lee smacked his back, while tears streamed down Kankuro’s face.

“I was just worried!” Lee said, rubbing Kankuro’s back gently while he continued to cough.

“Maybe you were, Lee, but that’s the fucking funniest thing I’ve ever heard,” Neji said, doubled over next to the counter. 

Lee blew air through his lips, his eyebrows drawn down. He grabbed a bagel, smearing it with cream cheese, then sat at the table, ignoring the hysterics going on behind him. After a few minutes of stewing, Gaara came up behind him, wrapping his arms around his neck and resting his chin on them.

“Lee,” he whispered in his ear, heating Lee’s cheeks up. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Gaara,” he squeaked, trying not to draw attention to them. Luckily, Neji and Kankuro seemed to be occupied behind them, arguing about how much cream cheese was too much. Kankuro seemed to not think there was a limit. Neji loudly disagreed. 

Gaara kissed Lee’s neck a few times, further liquifying his insides. Gaara did always have a knack for that. “I’m going to start taking boxes down. Finish your bagel, then come help me,” he said, placing one last kiss behind Lee’s ear. Lee nodded, his hair flopping against his bright red face. He quickly shoved the rest of his food in his mouth, just as Gaara stepped through the living room with the first box.

“I ‘ill ‘ake ffat,” Lee said, the bagel muffling his words. Gaara handed it over to him, smiling gently. Lee smiled back, chewing obnoxiously. Gaara ignored it and turned to his brother in the kitchen.

“Kankuro, come help, please.”

“Sure thing, mother,” Kankuro drawled. He kissed Neji once, then followed after Gaara to where the boxes were piled neatly in the corner of his room. Lee saw Neji follow, a light pink dusting his cheeks. He opened the door somewhat awkwardly, then began carrying the box down to the parking lot. They had opted to not rent a moving van, reasoning that they would have enough room between three vehicles. Kankuro would be taking the bulk of it.He had finally broken down and bought a dumpy little van after years of insisting he didn’t need a car. Neji had finally forced him to buy one, not wanting to lend his own car anytime Kankuro had to go somewhere. He regretted that decision as soon as he saw the vehicle that he had picked. 

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” Kankuro had told him. Neji hadn’t liked that.

Lee fumbled the box into one arm, using the other to pull his keys out of his pocket. He unlocked his car, setting the box down onto the floor in the back seat. He then opened his trunk to allow it to be filled with Gaara’s things. He ran back up the stairs, passing the other three as he went. By the time they had made it down to the cars, Lee was already back with another box. It seemed like this would be a quick and easy move.

And it was. Between Gaara’s kisses, and Neji and Kankuro’s hilarious flirty fighting, they managed to get all of the boxes packed up in cars within two hours. Lee and Gaara drove their cars to Gaara’s new home while Kankuro and Neji stayed behind for a bit to clean Gaara’s room. They were planning on turning it into an office, a sort of off-site place for them to work on things for the shop. Gaara’s bed would stay tucked into a corner in case Kankuro had guests or Neji stayed the night and didn’t want to sleep with Kankuro. Lee just hoped that they would stop making out for long enough to bring the rest of Gaara’s stuff to their house. They tended to get distracted at times.

“Tenten! We are home!” Lee yelled, opening the door with a box in his arm. Tenten came running out, her shoes slapping the linoleum floor.

“Yay! Gaara, I’m so excited!” she yelled, grabbing the box from his hands and throwing herself into his arms. Gaara hugged her, smiling as he patted her back.

“I’m excited, too. Thank you for allowing me to live in your home.”

“Of course!” she said, grabbing the box from off the ground. “It was getting to the point where it wasn’t a home without you. I’m glad you’re finally moving in!”

Tears welled up in Lee’s eyes. “I am, too,” he said, smiling over at Gaara. Gaara stood on his toes, reaching over the box in Lee’s arm to give him a kiss on the cheek. 

“Me, too.”

Gaara walked back out to the car to grab another box. Lee followed after Tenten, stepping into the kitchen to see a banner on the wall with a cake and flowers on the counter. The banner read, “Welcome Home, Gaara!” and had little skateboards on it. Lee set his box down, bursting into tears immediately. He flung himself onto Tenten, causing her to drop the box. Luckily, it was just full of Gaara’s clothes. Lee would have felt terrible had he been the cause of breaking Gaara’s things.

“Tenten, this is the sweetest thing ever. You are the best sister in the world. Thank you so much.”

Tenten patted his back, straining her neck slightly as she hugged him. “You’re welcome, Lee. I’m so glad you’re so happy.”

Lee continued to cry as he squeezed her tighter. Behind him, he heard Gaara step into the room.

“Lee, where do you-- oh.”

“Welcome home, Gaara!” Tenten chirped, peeling herself from Lee. Gaara stared, his face blank and his arms trembling slightly as he held the heavy box. He stepped closer to the counter, setting his down onto Lee’s as he read the sign. 

“Tenten, I… thank you so much.”

“Of course! I hope you like the cake.”

Gaara looked at her and smiled. Tears were welling up in his eyes, which caused Lee to cry harder. “I love it. Thank you.”

She beamed at him, pulling him in for another hug. Lee stepped over to them, wrapping his arms around the two of them and squeezing tight. Both Tenten and Gaara groaned in protest, causing Lee to relax his hold a bit. After another moment of nearly suffocating physical contact, they all released their grip on each other.

Gaara sniffled and laughed, wiping his eyes. “I guess I’m not fully home yet. We should finish unpacking the cars.”

Lee nodded, grabbing his box and carrying it the rest of the way to his room. Gaara and Tenten went back outside to grab more boxes, letting Lee grab the other two sitting in the kitchen. As he walked back toward the front door, he looked at the banner Tenten had created and smiled. His heart felt like it was going to burst. He was so, so happy.

Once Kankuro and Neji arrived, both sporting questionably dark spots on their necks, they were all able to get the boxes in quickly. Even though they were tired, the lack of stairs made it much easier to transport the boxes from the cars to Lee and Gaara’s room. After Kankuro’s van had been emptied, and he had hassled Tenten for a piece of cake, he and Neji left, Kankuro’s arm slung around his shoulders. Tenten, Gaara, and Lee all sat down to eat their own slices. Once they were done, Tenten put the cake away, stepping into her room momentarily.

“Alright, well, I’ll see you boys tomorrow,” she said, stepping back out to the kitchen and slinging a bag over her shoulder.

“Er, Tenten, where are you going?” Lee asked, taking his and Gaara’s plates to the sink.

“I’m going to spend the night at Hinata’s. I figured you and Gaara would want to spend the first night living together, alone.” She winked at them, causing Lee to blush. “I ordered you a pizza. It should get here soon.”

“Tenten, that is so sweet of you! Thank you so much. Please let me know when you get to Hinata’s house. And please tell her I said hi!”

“Will do. Thanks, Lee. Love you!”

“Love you, too, Tenten!”

“Bye, Gaara!”

“Goodbye, Tenten.”

They stood still for a moment, waiting for the door to shut. Once it did, Lee picked Gaara up, spinning him around as Gaara laughed, grabbing him around the neck in order to not be thrown. Lee laughed with him, then sat him on the kitchen counter, scooting in between his legs so he could hold him flush against his chest.

“Welcome home, love,” he whispered, cupping Gaara’s cheek and kissing him gently on the lips. Gaara reciprocated, threading one hand through Lee’s hair as the other traced idle circles on Lee’s chest with his fingers. Lee shivered at the contact making Gaara smile. He swiped his tongue against Lee’s bottom lip. Lee opened his mouth in response, sliding his hands down Gaara to rest against the bottoms of his thighs. Just as Gaara’s fingers began to make their way down to the edge of Lee’s shirt, the doorbell rang.

“That’s probably the pizza,” Gaara breathed against Lee’s mouth.

“Mm, you are probably right,” Lee said, kissing Gaara again. “If you get the door, I will get the plates.”

Gaara pulled back, brushing the hair off of Lee’s forehead. “Deal.”

Lee lifted Gaara off the counter so he could answer the door. While he got the pizza, Lee began grabbing plates from the cupboard, placing them on the table next to their puzzle. He examined it carefully. Depending on how it went, they could probably finish it tonight. A few moments later, Gaara stepped back into the room, carrying the smell of baked bread and warm tomatoes with him.

“Lee, before we eat, can I borrow some of your clothes? These ones are getting uncomfortable and I haven’t unpacked any of my stuff yet.”

“Of course! Let me grab you some things.”

“Lee, I can get them,” Gaara responded, turning in the direction of their room.

“Ah, no, Gaara, come start on the puzzle! You have been on your feet all day!” Lee said, zooming past him. He quickly reached into his dresser, pulling out some of his smaller sweatpants and a sleep shirt. He grabbed the ring box, knowing he would need to hide it somewhere else, but not sure where. Before he could decide, Gaara stepped into the room.

“Lee, what are you--”

The clothes landed on his head with a plop.

“Here you go, Gaara. I need to do something in Tenten’s room really quickly. I will be right back!”

Before Gaara could respond, Lee raced out of the room with the ring box clenched tightly in his hand. Tenten probably wouldn’t be very happy with him, but he needed to hide it. He threw open her door, threw himself on her bed, and stuck the box under her pillow. That would have to do for now. Lee walked back quickly to his room, doing his best to not seem suspicious. He stepped into the room just as Gaara was taking his shirt off.

“Lee, are you doing okay?”

“Ah, yes! Tenten just needed me to… make sure she had unpacked one of her boxes! And I had forgotten to do it earlier!”

“...Lee, that’s--”

Lee ripped off his own shirt, knowing it would provide a distraction for Gaara. He began rummaging through their closet in search of something more comfortable to wear. When he turned around, Gaara was standing there staring at him, his clean shirt half on. Lee smiled sheepishly at him, then walked over, tugging the rest of his shirt over his head. When Gaara was dressed, Lee placed a kiss on his forehead. Gaara rested his hand on Lee’s chest, tracing over the tattoo he had there.

“Should we go eat, love?” Lee asked, brushing his lips gently over the place he had just kissed. Gaara sighed. 

“I guess so.”

Lee smiled at him, then scooped his legs out from under him, carrying him back out to the kitchen.

“I forgot to carry you over the threshold!”

Gaara laughed as Lee set him down. “I think that’s only done when someone gets married.”

They sat down at the table. “Well, I suppose I have another chance, then.”

Gaara blushed, smiling at Lee. He began grabbing pieces of the puzzle, re-sorting them the way he liked. Lee grabbed the pizza, pulling a slice out for both of them. They ate in silence, the only sound being the crickets outside and the soft snapping when they found each piece and set it in place. 

They worked for almost an hour, munching on pizza and quickly piecing the picture together. Lee’s hand would rest on Gaara’s knee each time he was looking for one, wanting to stay connected to him without disturbing his concentration. When they finally got to the last piece, Lee’s heart stuttered in excitement. Gaara looked at him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it gently as he handed him it. Lee slipped it into place, completing the beautiful cactus garden that was shown on the box.

“It’s us,” Gaara said, leaning his head onto Lee’s shoulder. “A perfect match.”

Lee smiled at him softly, grabbing him around the hips to pull him onto his lap. “We are.”

They sat for a few moments longer as they breathed in sync, staring at the puzzle in front of them. Lee yawned, then kissed Gaara’s neck. He leaned his head back onto Lee’s shoulder.

“We should go to bed. It’s been a crazy weekend.”

“You are right.” Lee kissed Gaara’s ear. “We get to sleep in the same bed tonight. Our bed.”

Gaara craned his neck to look at Lee’s face. “We do,” he said, smiling up at him. He pressed his lips gently to Lee’s, then stood, pulling Lee with him to their room.

After getting ready for bed, they slid under the covers together, content to finally be sharing the same bed without the other having to leave in the morning. Lee laid on his side, his hair splayed out on the pillow beneath him. Gaara scooted up behind him, wrapping his arm around his waist and pressing his body against Lee’s. After a few more murmured “I love you’s,” they fell asleep.

The next morning, Lee peeled himself from Gaara’s arms. Even though there was nothing he would rather do than spend half of the day lazing around in bed with the love of his life, he was going to go shopping with Tenten. They only had a few days to pack for their trip and Lee would be spending most of that time finishing some last minute work or being with Gaara. He had invited him the day before, but Gaara declined, reasoning that he had unpacking to do and wanted the chance to settle into his new home. Lee was sad, but understood. 

After Lee had gotten dressed, he leaned over the bed, placing a gentle kiss on Gaara’s cheek. Gaara stirred slightly, but didn’t wake up. Lee smiled, gently tucking a piece of hair behind his ear. He knew that Gaara had a hard time sleeping and was worried that it would take him some time to adjust to the new bed and the new place. Luckily, it seemed that Gaara was settling right in.

“Tenten, are you ready to go?” Lee asked, stepping into the kitchen where Tenten was drinking coffee and looking at the puzzle.

“Mm, just give me a sec to finish this, I just got home from Hinata’s,” she said, as she began scrolling through her phone.

“Okay! How was your time with Hinata?”

“It was really great. We ended up going to the bakery she works at really late at night and made cookies. It was a lot of fun!”

“That sounds wonderful!” Lee paused. “Er, does her boss know she does that?”

“Oh, yeah,” Tenten said, taking another sip of her coffee. “She and Hinata are pretty close. She’s a sweet lady. She has a daughter that’s probably around twelve years old and they’ll invite Hinata over for dinner all the time.”

“Good! Hinata needs someone like that in her life.”

Tenten hummed in response, then drained the rest of the liquid from her mug.

“Okay, I’m ready now!”

“Excellent!” 

Lee grabbed his keys from the counter, twirling them around his finger as he and Tenten walked out the door.

“Is Gaara sure he doesn’t want to come?” Tenten asked, sliding into the passenger seat of Lee’s car.

“He said he was! I think it will be good for him to spend some time alone in the new house. He also seemed eager to put all of his things away.”

Tenten nodded, then whipped her head to look at Lee. “Wait, did you hide the ring?!”

Lee looked at her and laughed. “Yes! I actually had to hide it under your pillow.” Seeing Tenten’s face, he held one hand up defensively. “I panicked and needed a hiding place! I will move it as soon as we get back.”

Tenten slugged Lee’s arm. “You dork. You can keep it in my room, I don’t mind. Although, I’m not sure what you’ll want to do with it when we leave.”

“Well, I think I am going to bring it with us! I want to propose to Gaara as soon as we land back at home.”

“Lee, are you sure that’s the best idea? It’s an expensive ring and we’ll be traveling a lot…”

“Tenten, it will be alright. I am going to keep the box in my luggage. I may even wear the ring on a chain around my neck. I think that would be an excellent reminder of why I am working so hard and who I have to come home to!” Lee said, banging a fist lightly on his steering wheel.

“Whatever you say, Lee. Just please be careful with it.”

Lee snorted. “I will. This is so important to me! I would never lose it!”

Tenten fell into silence. Lee clicked on the radio, attempting to lighten the mood and soothe his anxiety. They had a lot to get done today and the sooner they finished, the sooner he would be back with Gaara.

They spent the day running from store to store, gathering their supplied. Luckily, Tenten was well-versed in living out of a suitcase, so she knew exactly what to get. After locating all of the things they needed, they began their journey home. It had taken longer than they expected, especially with Gaara’s insistence that they have lunch together. Lee was an anxious mess. He felt terrible for leaving Gaara so long, especially since he would be leaving for--

Lee brushed that out of his mind. Gaara had insisted. He didn’t mind. There was no use in feeling guilty over it. He didn’t have anything to feel guilty for. As he pulled into their neighborhood, he squared his shoulders, doing his best to calm his racing mind before he went home to Gaara. As they neared the house, Lee frowned. 

“What the hell’s going on here?” Tenten wondered aloud. Their usually calm street was packed with cars. 

“Maybe someone is having a party?” Lee questioned, pulling into their driveway.

“I wish they wouldn’t use our space,” Tenten grumbled as they walked up to the door. Cars had parked directly in front of their house, something that Lee knew bothered her to no end.

“Tenten, it really is not a big deal, we--”

Lee pulled the door open and stopped dead in his tracks.

“Surprise!” a chorus of voices yelled, overwhelming and exciting him all at once. Lee stared dumb struck as Gaara pushed his way through a sea of people.

“Surprise,” he said, smiling at Lee and Tenten. “Welcome to your going away party!”

Lee and Tenten stepped into the house to see several of their friends and family there. As they made their way into the living room, friendly faces patted their backs, congratulating them and wishing them well. Lee beamed, tears growing in the corners of his eyes.

“Gaara, you planned all of this?”

Gaara stepped toward him, smiling. He nodded, then wiped a tear from the corner of Lee’s eye. Lee grabbed him, pulling him in for a kiss. Somewhere in the room, Kankuro wolf whistled. But Lee didn’t care. 

“Thank you, baby,” Lee said, setting Gaara back down.

“You’re welcome.”

At that, Lee threw himself into party mode. He hopped from group to group, thanking everyone for coming and chatting about life. Sakura and the rest of his coworkers had been invited. All of Tenten’s friends were there. Kakashi and Gai were arguing in the corner, and Shikamaru and Temari had brought Shikadai, much to Lee’s delight. When he saw him, he scooped him up into his arms, bouncing him lightly as the baby squealed, happy to be in the arms of his favorite uncle. Gaara had walked up at that moment, smiling at his sister as they began to chat. After a few minutes of casual conversation, Lee handed Shikadai to Gaara. He held him gently, placing a light kiss to his nephew’s cheek. Lee’s heart beat faster at the sight. One of the most attractive things about Gaara, in Lee’s opinion, was how good he was with kids.

His eyes brushed over Kankuro and Neji sitting in a corner, but he was stopped before he could make his way over to them.

“Hello, Lee,” Sai said, smiling tightly. He extended a hand toward him, which Lee used to pull him in for a tight hug.

“Hello, Sai! Thank you so much for coming! I am so happy to see you here. How are you?”

Sai coughed lightly as Lee let go of him. “I am well. How are you?”

“I am doing so great! Thank you so much for agreeing to take the art program for me. I have full trust in you!” Lee said, grinning at him with a thumb out.

“That means a lot, Lee. I am very excited to take it on. I think that it will give me good practice for when I am an art teacher. I’ll also be able to bring my foster child.”

“Oh, right!” Lee said, punching his fist into his other hand. “Remind me what his name is?”

“Inojin,” Sai said simply. He took a sip from the plastic cup he was holding. “I am actually planning on adopting him soon.”

Tears filled Lee’s eyes once again. “Sai, that is so wonderful! Congratulations! You are going to be an excellent father!”

Sai smiled at Lee. Though it was small, it was genuine.

“So, how is your art degree going? Is it better than working as a policeman?”

“Oh, yes. I quickly learned that the system isn’t what I thought it was. I found myself growing more and more uncomfortable with what was going on each day.” Sai looked into his cup. “I no longer felt like I had a place there, nor should anyone. The system is more corrupt than people realize. But luckily I found my place back in the foster system.” He took another drink. “I remember wanting to get out of there. Now I find myself wanting back in.”

Lee smiled and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. “It is good to have you, Sai. You have a lot to give. I am glad you have found a place that you are more comfortable being.”

Sai nodded and looked thoughtfully into his cup. After a few more minutes of small talk, Lee excused himself and stepped away to look for Gaara. When he glanced back, Sakura had sidled up to Sai and was making casual conversation. Lee smiled. He was glad that Sai was finding a place where he belonged.

“Hey, love,” Lee said, sliding his arms around Gaara’s waist. He had been standing in the corner of the room, pressed against the wall. “Are you doing okay?”

Gaara breathed lightly and shook his head. 

“Bedroom?” Lee asked, kissing his forehead. Gaara nodded and walked in the direction of what was now their room. Lee watched him go, then stepped into the kitchen, pouring him a glass of the wine Gaara had bought for the party. Lee hadn’t seen him drink any yet, as he had been too busy running around playing host. Lee stepped into the hallway as the murmur of the party faded into light background noise. He knocked a few times on the door gently, waiting for Gaara to invite him in.

“I brought you a drink,” Lee said, sitting on the bed next to where Gaara sat cross-legged. “Are you doing okay?”

Gaara breathed deeply. “Yeah, I’m fine. There are just… a lot of people.” He laughed lightly. “You and Tenten have a lot of people that care about you.” He sat up and took the glass from Lee.

Lee placed his now empty hand on Gaara’s back, rubbing it gently. “We do. We are very lucky. But, Gaara?”

“Yes?”

“I care about you the most. And I love you. And I am so grateful for you. This was such a kind thing to do, especially because I know how anxious it makes you. Thank you for being so considerate and supportive.”

He placed a gentle kiss on Gaara’s head, resting his cheek in the red waves of his hair.

“I love you, too, Lee. It might make me anxious, but I don’t regret it. It’s worth it for you. And Tenten.”

“I do not understand what I did to deserve you, but I would do it over and over again,” Lee murmured, continuing to rub his back. 

They sat for a few minutes longer, talking softly while Gaara sipped on his drink. Not too long after they had left, they went back out into the party. Lee sat down in a quiet area, making sure that he was situated in a position next to Gaara that would help him feel more secure. He chatted with the party goers, saying hi to Tenten’s friends and talking with Neji and Kankuro. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves which made Lee happy. He held Gaara’s hand the rest of the night which made him even happier. What felt too soon for Lee, and probably not soon enough at all for Gaara, everyone left, wishing Tenten and Lee the best and thanking Gaara for a nice night. 

Tenten and Lee cleaned up while Gaara changed into his pajamas, unwinding from the party by himself. When he came back out, he tucked himself into Lee, swaying slightly as they stood in the kitchen. 

“Lee, can we watch a movie, please?”

“Of course, love. I will go put my pajamas on while you pick one out.”

He said goodnight to Tenten, then ran back to his room, throwing on his pajamas as quickly as possible. When he came back out to the living room, Gaara was already laying on the couch, his eyes blinking sleepily as the opening credits to a movie played in front of him. Lee smiled, walking over to him and sitting next to him on the couch. Once he was seated, he pulled Gaara’s head up, gently placing it on his lap.

As the movie played, he ran his fingers through Gaara’s hair, scratching and massaging the tension from his head. Within minutes, Gaara was asleep. Lee continued his task for as long as he could keep his eyes open, cherishing every second he could with Gaara in his arms. Realizing he was about to doze off, he stood, carefully removing Gaara’s head from his lap. He picked him up from the couch and carried him to their room.

Once he had been laid on the bed, Lee grabbed his work clothes, setting them out so Gaara would have them in the morning. He then plugged in both of their phones and set their alarm. After what felt like too long away from him, Lee slipped into bed with Gaara who immediately curled himself into Lee’s chest. Lee pulled him in, relishing in the warmth and closeness of Gaara’s body. He wouldn’t be able to enjoy it for much longer, so he would take advantage of it now. 

He placed one more kiss onto Gaara’s forehead, then fell asleep.


	7. The Hardest Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee and Tenten leave on their trip

When Lee woke up to his alarm the next day he found himself pressed into Gaara’s chest while gentle hands worked their way through his hair. He sighed, burrowing his face further into Gaara. He heard a sniffle come from him accompanied by a light laugh. Lee frowned, looking up from his warm place against Gaara.

“Gaara? Are you okay?”

Gaara’s eyes were slightly damp, a thin trail of water running down the side of his face. This wasn’t a good sign. The rarity of Gaara’s tears made Lee panic everytime he did see them.

“Love, tell me what’s wrong,” Lee said, sitting up and pulling Gaara into his lap. Gaara sniffed again, wiping his eyes with his hand.

“You weren’t supposed to see that.”

“But I did. And I want to be able to help you. Please tell me what is going on.”

Gaara sighed, laying his head against Lee’s chest. “I was just thinking about how nice it was to sleep with you. And how I won’t be able to for a while.” Gaara sat back, holding his hands out. “It’s not that I don’t want you to go. Please don’t feel bad. I’m just going to miss you.”

A lump formed in Lee’s throat. “I am so sorry, sweetheart,” he said thickly. “I am going to miss you too.”

Gaara placed his hands gently on Lee’s cheeks, pulling him down to kiss his forehead. “You don’t have to apologize, Lee. I just allowed my emotions to get the best of me.” He placed a kiss on Lee’s nose. “I’m so happy you’re going. I know you’re going to make me proud.”

Lee swallowed. “I will. I promise.”

“I know,” Gaara said, kissing him softly.

“Tsunade said that if I win the championship I will win a lot of money. Possibly even a brand deal. We should go on a trip if I win!”

“Or we could put it towards our honeymoon,” Gaara said simply. Lee looked at him and smiled. Gaara smiled back, though there was a sadness in his eyes. “We should get ready for work. I love you, Lee.”

“I love you, too.”

Lee dressed quickly while Gaara showered. Once he finished getting ready, Lee made them breakfast. When Gaara was dressed, they sat at the table to eat together. Their cactus puzzle sat in front of them. Gaara had put glue on it the day before, wanting to hang it up in their room. Lee stared at it as he ate, his hand on top of Gaara’s across the table. All too soon, Lee was kissing Gaara goodbye as he held his car door open for him. He watched him back out of the driveway, then accelerate down the road, waving to Lee as he drove off. He sighed, then got into his own car. Only two more days of work, then he would be getting on an airplane to fly across the world.

He tried to ignore the feeling of his stomach dropping.

The work day passed slow for Lee. Because he had already passed his programs off, and no new cases were being handed to him, he had little to do. He spent a lot of time cleaning and reorganizing his desk. Even though he wouldn’t be there for months, he reasoned that it would be good to come back to a clean, albeit dusty, desk. After rearranging his pens for the fifth time, he was finally able to go home.

As he drove back, Lee’s phone began to ring. He pulled it out to answer it, pausing slightly to look at the contact picture. It was Gaara sitting on Lee’s lap, slightly drunk. He had taken it on Gaara’s first birthday after they had gotten together. He wouldn’t stop kissing Lee’s cheek.

“Sweetheart! Hello! It is so good to hear from you. How are you?”

“Hi, Lee. I’m alright. I wanted to call and let you know that I’m going to be working late today. I’m sorry.”

“That is okay!” Lee said, though his heart sank at the thought of being apart from Gaara when he hadn’t expected it. “I will make sure to have dinner ready for you by the time you get home.”

“Thanks, love. I’m sorry. I know you don’t have much time left at home,” Gaara said, sighing lightly.

“Gaara, please do not be sorry. Your career is very important! I will see you when you get home. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Lee. I love you.”

“I love you, Gaara!”

Lee slipped his phone back into his pocket and sighed. He wished that Gaara could go on the trip with them. But he had a very important job and the kids depended on him. He couldn’t take him away from that.

Lee got home to an empty house. Tenten had texted him earlier that day, letting him know she would be hanging out at the skate shop with Neji. Lee considered stopping by, but he felt bad dropping in uninvited. He resigned to just making dinner while a movie played in the background. Lee couldn’t stand silence. 

He listened to the movie play, it’s familiarity soothing him as he cooked. Once it was done, he sat at the table, lightly touching the puzzle to see if it had dried. It had. He would leave it alone, knowing Gaara was very particular about the way puzzles were hung. He ate his food, listening to the end of the movie. Just as he was about to finish eating, the credits began to roll. He ignored the tears forming at the corners of his eyes. Glancing at the clock, he realized that Gaara wouldn’t be home anytime soon. He put the food away, making sure to leave a portion aside for Gaara to reheat later. He scrawled a hasty love note on the whiteboard on the fridge, then went to his room to get ready for bed. 

Sometimes Gaara would get called to help at the center where the rescued kids got dropped off. He knew a lot of the social workers and foster families in the area and was a good contact for them. Lee was proud of this. He knew that Gaara worked very hard to be reliable and useful within the foster care system. But, he wished that it didn’t mean that he would have to sleep alone. He slipped under the covers, listening to a soft instrumental play on his phone. What felt like hours of tossing and turning later, Lee finally fell asleep.

The sun woke him the next morning, minutes before his alarm went off. He rolled over to pull Gaara closer to him, but the bed was empty. Had Gaara never gotten home? Lee jumped out of bed in a panic and threw open his door. He ran out to the kitchen, and there stood Gaara in his pajamas, cooking eggs. Gaara jumped at the disturbance, turning quickly to stare at Lee.

“Lee, what’s wrong?” he said, panic in his voice.

“Nothing, Gaara, I--” Lee paused, taking a breath as his heart pounded. “I woke up and did not see you and I was unsure if you got home last night and--”

Gaara hugged him, holding his spatula away from Lee so that it wouldn’t touch him. “I’m sorry I worried you. I shouldn’t have left, I know you’re on edge right now. I just wanted to make you breakfast.”

Lee nodded, his chin bumping Gaara’s shoulder. “It is alright,” he said between breaths, holding Gaara tightly and rubbing his back. “Thank you for making breakfast.”

“You’re welcome,” Gaara said, reaching behind him to place the spatula on the counter. With his hands free, he pulled Lee in tighter, doing his best to calm Lee down. His breathing evened as he took in the familiar scent of Gaara’s hair. He faintly noted that he was starting to smell more like Lee.

They sat down to breakfast, eating next to each other with their hands clasped. Gaara told Lee about work the night previous as he ran his thumb over the back of Lee’s hand. When they had gotten ready and it was time to leave for work, Gaara stood on the porch, holding Lee for a full minute before kissing him goodbye. Lee smiled. Even though it would be a while before they would do this again, he took comfort in the fact that they were both settling into a morning routine that involved two people, not just one.

Lee had taken half the day off, needing the extra time for packing and settling things around the house. In the morning, Gaara would take him and Tenten to the airport. This was the last night they had together. 

After settling a few last minute things at work, and saying a thorough goodbye to all of his coworkers, Lee shut and locked his office for the last time. He knew he would be back, but the finality of it felt too real. Four months felt like a really long time. A part of him knew that it would go by quickly, but the part of him that was staring down the extent of that time away felt like it was going to be forever. Lee pushed both thoughts out of his mind and headed home.

As he stepped through the door, he heard loud music playing from Tenten’s room. He smiled to himself. It had been forever since he and Tenten had spent good quality time together. Now was their chance. 

Hearing that Lee was home, Tenten bolted out, running up to Lee and picking him up as much as she could. He laughed, making himself go limp so she would have a hard time holding him.

“Lee!” she wheezed, dropping him onto the floor. They laughed together as Tenten helped him up. 

“I’m almost finished packing! Do you need help with anything?”

“Thank you, but I think I am alright. Gaara helped me pick out my outfits the other day. All I need to do is pack them.”

“Great! I’m going to go finish. I have another suitcase I’m taking that we can both share if we need any other stuff that won’t fit.” Tenten smiled at Lee, bouncing on her toes slightly.

“That sounds great! You have thought of everything, Tenten. Thank you so much!”

“No problem! I’m so excited to take this trip with you, Lee,” she said, her voice softening. She pulled him in to give him a tight hug. 

“I am so excited, too!”” he said, hugging her back. After talking for a few more minutes and discussing travel plans, Tenten disappeared back into her music-filled room. Lee laughed gently to himself, then stepped into his own. He rooted through the closet for his suitcase, plopping it onto his bed. After half an hour of packing, he heard the front door open.

“Tenten, where are you going?” he called, placing another pair of socks into his suitcase.

“I don’t think she’s going anywhere.”

Lee spun in place to see Gaara standing in their bedroom doorway.

“Gaara!” he yelled excitedly, abandoning the pair of shoes he had started to pick up. He ran over to him, picking him up and spinning him around.

“Hi, Lee,” Gaara said, laughing. Lee continued to hold him in his arms, looking up at him. Gaara cupped his cheeks, then kissed him gently. Lee smiled, then leaned in for another kiss, which Gaara was happy to give him.

“What are you doing home so early?” Lee asked, swaying slightly as he held Gaara.

“I took part of the day off so I could come home and help you pack.” He pressed their foreheads together.

“Thank you, love. You are so kind. And handsome. And wonderful.”

“You’re all those things and more.” Gaara replied, smiling at him.

Lee didn’t want to cry, so he just kissed Gaara again.

They spent the next few hours packing Lee’s stuff. Gaara was able to rearrange his clothes to help them fit better. He also took pictures of the way he had packed it for Lee to reference each time they went to a new country. He then helped Lee decide which Vans to take. If he hadn’t, Lee would have spent forever picking, only to settle on taking them all, which he definitely didn’t have room for. He made sure that Lee had all of his necessary documents as well as his plane tickets and hotel reservations printed out. Gaara helped Lee with a lot of stuff he hadn’t even thought of. He was so lucky to have him.

As it got later in the day, their moods grew to be more somber. They didn’t talk about the fact that Lee was leaving, but it weighed heavily on both of their minds. As they sat down to eat dinner together, neither of them ate much. 

“Babe, you need to eat. Dinner is a very important meal,” Lee said, looking at Gaara’s plate.

“Says you,” Gaara argued, staring pointedly at Lee’s plate. He sighed, then put a forkful in his mouth. Gaara did the same.

After a quiet dinner, they went to bed. Gaara stayed curled around Lee, holding him as if it were his last night to do so. Lee couldn’t help but feel guilty at the fact that it was. At least for a while. 

After a few hours of restless sleep, Lee woke up. He opened his eyes to the sight of his boyfriend resting peacefully. The moon filtered in through their blinds, pale light cutting across Gaara's face. Lee's heart skipped a beat. He loved him so much. And he was leaving him tomorrow. Tears filled the corners of Lee's eyes. He didn't want to ruin the short amount of time he had left with Gaara by being sad. But he couldn't help it.

Unable to try to sleep any longer, Lee got up, taking care to not jostle Gaara too much. He sat at the edge of the bed, breathing deeply and staring at the wall. After a few moments of trying to calm himself down, he stood and walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water. He stood at the sink, holding his cup and thinking about the trip and everything he had learned about long distance relationships. Would he be able to make it work?

Lee chugged the rest of his water and set the glass in the sink, ridding himself of that thought. Of course he would make it work. How couldn't he? He drew a shuddery breath, reminding himself that he loved Gaara and that Gaara loved him. They would figure it out. 

He slipped quietly back into his room, listening to the soft sound of Gaara breathing. It made him smile, the sound calming his racing mind and heart. He laid back down onto the bed, rolling over to face Gaara so he could watch him sleep. 

Though he was now older, his cheeks had never completely rid themselves of their softness. One was currently squished into the pillow causing his lips to part slightly as he slept. Lee's eyes traced the lines there as his fingers traced his cheek. He trailed his fingers down onto his shoulder, pulling the blanket up over the arm that Gaara had left uncovered. He was often cold at night, but one of his limbs always seemed to find its way out from underneath the covers.

At the movement, Gaara began to stir. Lee panicked, worried he was going to wake up. He quickly closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. He knew that if Gaara saw him awake, he would worry. If he worried, he wouldn't go back to sleep. Lee didn't want to be the cause of Gaara's unrest.

Lee kept his eyes shut as he listened to Gaara adjust in his sleep, little moans escaping his mouth as he stretched. After a few moments, Lee felt the comforting, warm weight of Gaara's hand slip into his. He intertwined his fingers with Lee’s, sighing at the contact. When Lee opened his eyes a few minutes later, Gaara had fallen back asleep. Lee smiled softly, his heart swelling at the pure love Gaara exuded at all times, even while he slept. He craned his neck to gently kiss Gaara’s eyelids. After a few minutes of listening to Gaara’s soft breathing, Lee fell back asleep.

When he woke up the next morning, he turned to see Gaara already looking back at him. Gaara paused for a moment, then smiled, reaching his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind Lee’s ear. He shivered at the contact, smiling back at him. They didn’t talk, only laid in bed for a few moments to enjoy the last bit of peace they had together. 

“You should probably get up now,” Gaara whispered, placing his hand on Lee’s arm and rubbing it soothingly. Lee shivered at the contact.

“I know, love. But I like laying next to you.”

Gaara leaned over to kiss Lee. “I love it, too. And I love you. And I want you to go on this trip and have an amazing time with Tenten. Can you do that for me?”

Lee swallowed. “Yes.”

Gaara kissed him again. “Thank you.”

With a new promise motivating him to get out of bed, he rolled out, walking quickly to the bathroom to shower. By the time he had gotten out and was dressed, Gaara had set out all of his luggage and had grabbed his backpack. All Lee had to do was lace up his Vans, then they would be on their way.

“Tenten, do you have your passport?” Lee heard Gaara call as he tied his shoes.

“Yes, I do. Thank you, Gaara.”

“Great. I know Lee has his. Oh, what about your skateboards and helmets?” Gaara asked, puttering around their kitchen.

“Tsunade is having them shipped over separately. They will arrive in time for us to begin our training,” Lee said, standing and walking over to Gaara. At the thought of training, his heart beat faster. As much as he was going to miss Gaara, he was almost just as excited to go on the trip and devote his life to skating for the next four months. It was a conflict of emotions, but he tried to keep his thoughts on the excitement, knowing that his anxiety wasn’t productive. The time would pass whether he was on the trip or not. He had a chance to do something amazing and he was glad he hadn’t given that up. Normally, his anxiety tried its best to keep him from awesome opportunities. He didn’t let it win this time.

“Alright, I think you guys have everything. And if you forget something, I can ship it over to you.”

“Gaara, international shipping is expensive!” Lee said, grabbing the handle of his suitcase.

“Well, then let’s hope you didn’t forget anything,” Gaara, teased, patting Lee’s butt.

Tenten gagged behind them.

“Tenten, do not be jealous!” Lee said, laughing. She looked at him, then rolled her eyes.

“Let’s get going,” Gaara said, ignoring the sibling’s antics. Lee nodded and grabbed Gaara’s hand. They had to let go moments later, as they could not get both them and the suitcase out the door at the same time. Luckily for Lee, though, as soon as they sat in his car, Gaara grabbed his hand, kissing it lightly and setting their conjoined hands on his lap. As they drove to the airport, Lee babbled nervously, detailing their flight plans. He had been on a plane before, but he still got nervous every time he had to fly. He hoped that his nerves wouldn’t bother Tenten, especially with the length of their flight. Seemingly reading his thoughts, Tenten piped up from the backseat.

“Lee, we’re sitting together on the flight, so you can hold my hand if you need to. I know that traveling makes you nervous.”

“Thank you, Tenten. I am glad you will be there with me.”

Gaara smiled lightly next to Lee. 

Once at the airport, Gaara parked, wanting to say goodbye to Lee properly. They took the shuttle from the parking lot to the gate, each of them silent the whole way. Lee kept his thumb hooked nervously under one of his backpack straps, holding Gaara’s hand in his free one. He rubbed small, soothing circles over Gaara’s thumb. Not wanting to overwhelm or stress him out, Gaara kept their contact minimal, only holding Lee’s hand or bumping into him when the bus braked particularly hard. Sooner than Lee expected, they were at the gate.

As they grabbed their luggage and exited the bus, Lee’s stomach churned with anxiety. His breathing began to quicken slightly. It had only been a few weeks since he had found out about this trip, and he was already leaving. He didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, he had less time to overthink and change his mind. On the other, it meant that he had less quality time to spend with Gaara before he left. He felt like he was going to throw up.

“Lee,” Gaara said, interrupting his thoughts. “I brought your medicine. Take one before you get on the plane.” He handed him his orange pill bottle.

“Th-thank you, love.” He took a pill out, swallowing it using some of the water Gaara had brought. When he handed it back to him, Gaara passed it off to Tenten.

“Please keep this on hand if Lee needs it,” he said, smiling at her. “I won’t be there to take care of him, but I’m glad you will be.”

“You’ve got it, Gaara. Thank you. For bringing us, for supporting me, and for taking care of my brother.”

She pulled him into a tight hug, squeezing her eyes shut. When she pulled away, Lee noticed that they were wet. She laughed, then slugged Gaara in the shoulder. 

“Have a great trip, Tenten. I’ll see you soon.”

She thanked him, then picked up her suitcase, heading inside to go through security. Lee was glad that she was letting them have a moment alone. Gaara turned and stepped toward Lee, putting his arms up and around his neck to give him a tight hug.

“I’m so proud of you, Lee,” he whispered into Lee’s neck. “This was such a hard decision for you to make, but I’m glad you’re making yourself and your dreams a priority. You deserve this.”

Lee swallowed. “Thank you, Gaara. For everything. I am so excited for this trip, but I am even more excited to see you again. Please take care of yourself and let me know if you need anything.”

They pulled apart slightly, Lee’s hands staying on Gaara’s waist, and Gaara’s arms staying wrapped around Lee’s neck. Lee smiled down at him as he reached up to tuck a stray hair back into his snapback.

“I love you, Lee. Let me know when you land.” Gaara stood on his toes to kiss Lee softly.

“I will do that, love. Let me know when you get back home.” He kissed Gaara again.

“I will.”

Lee pulled away remorsefully. He didn’t want to leave yet, but his flight would be taking off soon. He waved to Gaara as he walked away, his heart sinking with each step. Gaara waved back, smiling at him. Lee smiled back, then looked forward, seeing Gaara for what would be the last time for four months, if not longer. His brain went fuzzy for a moment as he continued to walk through the brightly lit area.

Luckily, he didn’t have to walk alone for long, as Tenten had waited for him. She slid up next to Lee, bumping into him lovingly.

“Hey, Lee. You doing okay?”

Lee took a deep breath and nodded. “I think that the hardest part is over.”

“I’m glad! The flight should go well. We could watch a movie together! Then when we land, we’ll drive to the hotel and probably take it easy for the night. I think the first full day we’re there we just get to explore a bit, and then training starts the day after.”

“That sounds great!” Lee said genuinely, smiling over at his sister. “Are there any places you want to visit?”

“Yeah, there’s this really awesome bookshop!” Tenten started, talking excitedly. Lee smiled as he listened to Tenten talk about all the places she wanted to go. His medicine had begun kicking in, which helped take the edge off of his anxiety. Tenten’s excitement was infectious, and he found himself feeling better about the trip, realizing why he had wanted to come in the first place. By the time they had gotten checked in and had boarded, Lee was feeling much lighter. There was a sadness and a longing still at the edge of his mind, but being with Tenten and thinking about skating was helping a lot. As the plane began to move, Lee sent one last text to Gaara.

Lee

“We are taking off now, love. Be safe. I love you.”

Gaara

“I love you, too, sweetheart. Have an amazing time.”

Lee shut his phone off, then turned to Tenten who was excitedly looking out the window. Lee peered over her shoulder, smiling as he watched the city beneath them get smaller and smaller. He couldn’t see it very well, but he looked in the direction of the park he and Gaara had met. They had already been through a lot. They could handle this. And their love would be that much stronger for it. Once they could no longer see anything out the window but clouds, Lee put headphones on and laid his head against the headrest. After a few seconds, he felt Tenten’s hand slip into his, squeezing it tightly. He looked over at her and smiled.

“Are you alright, Tenten?”

“Planes stress me out sometimes. I’m really glad you’re here.”

Lee leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “I am, too.”

They put a movie onto Tenten’s screen, sharing earbuds so they could watch together. After the first movie ended, she put on another one, though she fell asleep within minutes of watching. As her head rolled onto Lee’s shoulder, tears filled his eyes. He felt selfish for his anxiety and that it had caused him to momentarily forget everything Tenten struggled with. Maybe this trip wasn’t for him, after all. Tenten needed him right now. And he would sacrifice anything for her. Even his precious time with Gaara. It was all worth it. 

After an unsatisfactory nap and many movies, the plane began its descent. Lee woke Tenten up, hoping she wouldn’t be grumpy. She tended to have a bit of a bad attitude when she hadn’t slept well. She slipped her hand back into Lee’s as she watched the new city open up beneath them. After a somewhat bumpy landing, they were there. They were now thousands of miles away from home. Though they were so far away, Lee was excited for the new adventure.

After making it through the maze of the airport, they finally managed to find the car that Tsunade had sent to pick them up. They put their luggage in the back, then got in, Tenten slipping into the front seat so that Lee could call Gaara. The phone rang for longer than usual, which made Lee nervous, but he tried to not overthink it.

“Mm, hello?” he heard Gaara whisper on the other line. He looked at the time. It was only five, why was he sleeping already?

“Hello, love! Are you taking a nap?”

“Hm? No, I was sleeping. It’s three in the morning here.”

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry, Gaara, I forgot! I will call you later--”

“Lee, it’s fine, I wanted you to call me. Did you guys make it there safe?” Gaara asked, grunting slightly as he sat up in bed.

“Yes, the flight was alright, though I did not get much sleep. I am very tired,” Lee said with a yawn. Gaara laughed softly.

“I’m glad you’re safe. What are your plans for the rest of the night?”

“I think we’re going to go to the hotel and eat dinner for the night, then tomorrow we start sightseeing.”

“That sounds great, Lee. You’re going to send me lots of pictures, right?” Gaara asked.

“Of course I will! You know I always do,” Lee said with a laugh. “You will send me pictures, too, right?”

“I mean, I probably won’t be doing anything as exciting as you, but I’ll see what I can come up with.”

Lee laughed lightly. “Alright. Thank you, love. Please get some rest and have a wonderful day at work tomorrow. I love you!”

“Love you, Lee. Night.”

Lee hung up the phone, then looked out the window. Old buildings and lush, green trees surrounded them. In the distance, Lee could make out the shapes of tall buildings. As much as he loved his town, it was exciting to see somewhere new. He yawned again as he watched the scenery roll past him. 

After almost an hour of driving, they arrived at the hotel. Tsunade was in the lobby to help get them checked in.

“Hey, punks. How was the flight?”

“Long,” Tenten said, rubbing a kink in her neck.

“Yeah, well, teleportation hasn’t been invented yet. Let’s get you guys checked in.”

Lee looked around excitedly as Tsunade talked with the guy behind the front desk. The hotel was fairly fancy, much nicer than the places Lee was used to staying in. He felt slightly out of place with his sleeve of tattoos. But the more he looked around, the more he saw people like him.

“Tsunade,” he said, walking up to her. “Are other skaters staying here?”

“Yeah, this is the hotel that is sponsoring the games in this city. My godson is here, too. He decided he wanted to tag along, maybe see if he wants to compete in the future.”

“Oh, does he skate as well?” Lee asked, his eyes continuing to wander around the area.

“Yeah, but he’s kind of a dumb ass. I want him to prove that he can be responsible enough to compete by working as my assistant for a while. You guys will meet him when we train in a few days.”

“Oh, wonderful!” Lee said as Tsunade handed him a key card. She handed Tenten an identical one, then placed a fist on her hip.

“Alright, these are for your rooms. Please don’t do any dumb shit. My card is on file, so any drinks you take or any damage gets charged to me. You’d pay me back, of course, but my interest fee is high. So, be smart. Take tomorrow off. I’ll probably have a hangover, anyway. I’ll send you more instructions for the day after when we start training.”

She placed a hand on Lee’s shoulder, making him slightly nervous. “I’m really glad you decided to come, Lee. You’re going to do great.”

“Th-thank you!”

She clapped his shoulder, then turned and walked away. He turned to Tenten, who looked like she could fall asleep standing up.

“Tenten, are you going to eat dinner?”

She yawned. “I don’t know. I’m not really that hungry. I think I’ll pass. Maybe we could make up for it with a big breakfast tomorrow?”

Lee smiled at her. “Sounds good to me. Sleep well and come get me if you need anything. We will go to breakfast as soon as you are awake in the morning!”

“Okay. Love you, Lee.” She pulled him into a loose hug, then headed in the opposite direction. He looked at his key card, then located the elevator that would pull him up to his room. He rolled his suitcase over the lush hotel carpet, his eyes growing heavier with each step. When he had finally pushed open his door, he stood in the room, looking at the empty bed. 

Now that he was alone, the distance hit him like a rock. He began to cry and sat on the bed, unsure of what to do. He slipped off his shoes, wanting to sleep as soon as possible, even though it would throw off his already crazy sleep schedule. As he opened his suitcase to get his pajamas, he noticed Gaara’s ring tucked neatly next to his socks. He began to cry even harder.

Remembering his plan, he pulled out the ring as well as a sturdy silver chain. He slipped the ring onto it, then put it around his neck, making sure it was tightly clasped. He held onto it, kissing it lightly as he cried. 

After a few more minutes of tears, he reached into his backpack to grab the picture of Gaara that he had brought. His hands brushed over a paper that hadn’t been there before. He grabbed it and pulled it out, recognizing Gaara’s handwriting. He had slipped a letter into his backpack before Lee had left. He opened it hesitantly, his hands shaking with exhaustion.

“Lee,

I’m hoping that by the time you read this you’re in your hotel and that you had a good flight. I know by now you’re probably not feeling that great and may be crying, so I wanted to remind you to drink a lot of water and go to sleep. You are always much more emotional when you’re tired.”

Lee gave a watery laugh and wiped his face.

“I hope you have an amazing time on your trip. Don’t worry about me or anything else at home. Everything will be just fine and the time will pass quicker than you expect. I will still be here when you get back, and I will still be in love with you and looking forward to spending my life with you. Rest well. 

I love you,

Gaara.”

Lee drew a shuddery breath, then closed the letter, placing it gently back into his bag. The letter was simple, but sweet, and had helped soothe Lee’s anxieties, at least for now. After finding his picture of Gaara as he had originally intended, he placed it on his nightstand, turned off the light, and went to sleep.


	8. Miscommunications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee and Gaara find it hard to communicate well while so far apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay in updating! Halfway there. Hopefully this will all be done soon! Thanks for the support. Have a great weekend!!!

A full ten hours later, Lee woke up, blinking his sleep crusted eyes. He pulled the small form in his arms closer to him, planning on cuddling with Gaara until they both had to get up. Much to his surprise, the form folded in on itself. It felt too soft to be Gaara. That wasn’t to say that Gaara wasn’t soft. But he was able to keep his form, unlike whatever was in his arms. 

He fully opened his eyes now, staring at the small figure. It was nothing more than a hotel pillow. Nothing compared to his red headed, supportive, compassionate, funny, snarky--

Lee pushed the pillow onto the floor with a huff. He rolled back over, arm vacantly grazing the empty space next to him. He focused on the neon red alarm clock sitting on his night stand. It was around four in the morning. Lee sighed and flopped onto his back. Normally, if he woke up too early, all he needed to do was hold Gaara. Eventually, the soothing rise and fall of his chest would lull Lee back to sleep. But he didn’t have that advantage this time. 

He sat up in bed, stretching and yawning. He knew Tenten wouldn’t be awake for quite some time. She always seemed to have an easier time oversleeping than Lee did. A sharp pain in his neck brought Lee back to the present. He started massaging his neck, working it around until the pain wasn’t as intense. Between the airplane and sleeping in a bed that wasn’t his, Lee’s body was really struggling to keep up. He sleepily made a mental note to lengthen his stretching routine that night. 

Lee sat on the edge of the bed trying to decide what to do. He knew that if he stayed awake it would be a lot harder for him to adjust to the time zone. The quicker he adjusted, the better he would skate. Realizing he hadn’t had the chance to shower before he went to bed the night before, he decided to take one now. Hopefully the warm water would soothe his muscles as well as lull him back to sleep.

He grabbed his toiletry bag and stumbled somewhat awkwardly into the bathroom. He didn’t want to wake up completely, so he left all of his lights off, save for one dim, overhead light. He undressed quickly, then hopped into the shower. It was fairly spacious, much bigger than the bath they had at home. He faintly noted that he could probably fit two people in the bathtub, then began scrubbing shampoo through his hair to get rid of that thought. The familiar scent calmed him down, helped him remember home and Gaara. He loved to shower at Lee’s house, because when he did, he would end up smelling more like Lee until the next time he showered. Lee smiled at the memory as the suds ran down his back.

No. Not memory, he thought to himself. This was still very much a reality. When Gaara had woken up for work this morning, he had showered using the same products Lee currently was. He probably would also wear one of Lee’s t-shirts to bed that night. Lee’s smile returned as he finished rinsing off. 

After standing under the warm spray for a few minutes longer, Lee turned the water off, watching the rest of it run down the drain. He stepped out of the tub carefully, using a soft hotel towel to get the droplets of water off of his skin. After toweling his hair and throwing it up into a twist, he stepped out of the bathroom, only using the light that filtered out to get dressed. He shrugged his clean sleep shorts back on, then put on his green hoodie. He usually didn’t like to sleep in something so warm, he having the tendency to overheat at night, but the softness enveloped him tightly and helped him feel more secure. It was also Gaara’s favorite. 

Warmed by the shower and feeling much cleaner, Lee slid back into the hotel sheets. He laid there for a few moments, doing his best to fall back asleep. When sleep didn’t come, he sighed, then grabbed the pillow back off the floor, tucking it into his arms. After only a few more minutes, Lee fell back asleep.

Suddenly, Lee was at his first skate competition. As he stood at the top of a tall ramp, he clipped his helmet underneath his chin. Everyone in the audience all seemed to have the same red colored hair. The closer he looked, the more uneasy he felt. They all faintly looked like Gaara.

Reasoning that it was his nervous brain tricking him, Lee took a deep breath, set the back of his skateboard on the ledge, and dropped down.

He skated down one side of the ramp, gaining speed so he could make his way up the other side. Before he was able to do so, he felt the necklace around his neck snap, Gaara’s ring rolling underneath his board. It got stuck under one of his wheels, throwing him off where he tumbled to the ground. The left side of his body hurt terribly, a pain similar to the time he was hit by a car. He groaned, rolling to his right side to ease some of the pain. He could hear people all around him, running to where he lay in the middle of the skate ramp. He looked up at one of them, concern evident on their face.

“Gaara?”

“Lee!”

Lee frowned as banging erupted around him. That didn’t sound like Gaara. It sounded like…

“Lee! Open up, it’s Tenten! Are you still asleep?”

Lee jolted up in bed, his heart pounding fast. He looked over at the clock. He had slept for another six hours. He scrubbed at his face, doing his best to calm down. It had all been a dream. He patted his chest, wanting to make sure the ring was still there. When he couldn’t feel it, he panicked, then remembered he had taken it off before he got into the shower a few hours previous. He located it on the desk in front of his bed, slipped it on, then opened the door that Tenten had been abusing for the past few minutes.

“Hello, Tenten. I am sorry, I must have overslept.”

Tenten eyed him skeptically. Lee never overslept.

“You did? That’s unlike you.”

Lee ran a hand through his unkempt hair. “Yes. I woke up at four in the morning, but I am trying to adjust to the new time zone.

“Yeah, it’s like eight back at home. Crazy, right?”

Lee nodded, then yawned. “Are you ready to go to breakfast?”

“Well, the hotel isn’t serving breakfast anymore. I think we should just get you ready, then go get lunch and do some touristy things. Sound like a plan?”

“Okay,” Lee said, smiling. He opened the door wider, allowing Tenten inside. She skipped in, seemingly in a good mood. Lee wasn’t sure how she constantly adjusted to so many different time zones. He figured that caffeine had something to do with it.

Tenten threw herself onto Lee’s bed, stretching out and getting comfortable. Lee threw his hoodie off, rummaging through his suitcase for something to wear. Once he had picked out an outfit, he ran into the bathroom to change. He and Tenten were close, but he still had some sense of modesty.

As he undressed, he heard his phone go off. The sound was the one Lee had set specifically for Gaara. It was the sound of a train. Gaara had asked why he picked that specific noise, but Lee didn’t really have a reason. 

“Tenten!” he called, slipping his shirt over his head. “Will you see what Gaara said?”

“Yeah, sure. If it’s a nude, I’m suing you.”

Lee looked into the mirror as he popped his head through his shirt. His cheeks had turned bright red.

“Tenten! Gaara and I do not do that.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever. He sent a picture of him and Shikadai and said, ‘Babysitting for Tem tonight. Hope you’re doing well. Work was okay.’ He’s not a very enthusiastic texter, is he?”

Lee burst out of the bathroom, still half in his pajamas. “I want to see!”

Tenten tossed the phone to Lee, laughing at him. “That’s not what you’re wearing today, is it?”

Lee ignored her as he opened the picture. Gaara was holding Shikadai, smiling faintly. The baby had his hand fisted into Gaara’s hair, his other hand shoved into his mouth. His lips were turned up into a smile around his fingers. Lee smiled, his eyes welling with tears. He quickly sent back another text.

Lee

“My love! You two look so cute!! Is it not the baby’s bedtime, though? I am glad work went okay! I just got up for the day. Tenten and I are about to explore the city. I love you so much!”

Lee waited a few seconds after he sent the text, making sure it went through. Once he was sure it had, he plopped his phone back onto the bed, making his way back to the bathroom to finish getting dressed. Just as he finished slipping his pants on, he heard the train again.

Gaara

“You just got up? It’s unlike you to sleep in so late. Is everything alright?”

Lee

“Yes, I was just trying to get used to the new time zone and my sleep schedule went all wonky! I miss you, though.”

Gaara

“I miss you, too, love. I am going to put Shikadai down. Will text you soon.”

At the end of the last text, Gaara inserted a small, red heart. Lee’s own heart soared at the small display of affection. It never took much from Gaara to make Lee’s heart do flips, though. 

Not wanting to interrupt his nighttime routine, Lee slipped his phone into his pocket, waiting until Gaara texted him again. He ignored Tenten who was scrolling through her phone on his bed, her dirty Vans sitting on his white sheets. Lee bent down to put his own shoes on, made sure he had everything else he needed, then flopped on the bed next to Tenten.

“Sorry it took me so long, but I am ready to go now!”

Tenten rolled over the top of him to get off the bed. “Great, because I’m starving!”

Lee pushed her the rest of the way off, then stood. He looked out the window, a rush of excitement building in him.

“Tenten, we really are in another country!” he whispered, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

She stood next to him and laughed. “We are! Are you excited?”

“I am so excited!” he picked her up, spinning her once before hauling her to the door of his room. Once they were in the hallway, he plopped her down, smiling at her brightly.

“Where to?”

Tenten smiled back, then pulled out her phone. “I’m glad you asked.”

Lee knew that Tenten liked to travel, but he didn’t realize how good she was at it. She had planned out their entire day, even going as far as to map out each location to best coordinate where they would go when. The city was fairly large and closely spaced, meaning they could easily walk to every location Tenten took them to. They first visited a large park, walking around fountains and playgrounds. They even had a small skate park in the middle. Lee’s fingers twitched. He wished he had his board with him.

After, they visited a nearby monument, taking pictures and walking on top of the cement walls surrounding the area. Lee had Tenten take pictures of him so he could send them to Gaara. After walking around the monument for a bit longer, they sat on a bench to relax for a while and watch people walk by. While Tenten messaged someone on her phone, Lee pulled his own out to send Gaara a text. He picked his favorite photo out of the large amount Tenten had taken, then sent it over. It was a picture of him in front of the monument, his hand forming a peace sign and his smile wide enough to deepen his dimple. He knew Gaara would like that.

A few seconds after sending, he got a notification that the message failed. He frowned, looking toward the top of his phone. He didn’t have service. He panicked slightly, knowing that Gaara would be going to sleep soon. Lee couldn’t let that happen without telling him goodnight and letting him know how much he loved him. Gaara said he would text Lee. What would he think when he didn’t text him back? Would he think he was ignoring him? Would he get mad?

Tears welled up in the corners of Lee’s eyes as he stood, holding his arm up to try and get a signal. When one didn’t come, he whirled around to face Tenten.

“Ten, I cannot get service. My text to Gaara is not going through. What do I do?!”

Tenten jumped up, grabbing Lee gently by the arm. “Hey, Lee, it’s alright, calm down. It happens sometimes. Let me see if it will work for me, okay?”

She pulled up her messaging app and clicked Gaara’s contact. She sent a brief message. A few seconds later, she also got a notification saying that there was no service. She frowned at her phone, shaking it a bit.

“I am not sure that will help, Tenten,” Lee said, sniffling loudly. Tenten sighed and shook her head.

“I’m sorry, Lee. I’m not sure why it’s not working. It must be because it’s an international message. I just texted Tsunade and it went through fine.”

Lee pulled Tenten into him, holding her tight and dropping his forehead onto her shoulder. A wet spot grew on her shirt as Lee continued to cry. Tenten patted his back comfortingly, swaying slightly.

“Lee, it’s okay. This is going to happen from time to time. We’ll find somewhere you can hook your phone to the internet. You can send him a message that way, right? It’s going to be okay. Gaara understands these things, he’s not going to assume the worst. I promise.”

Lee sniffed again, then held Tenten tighter. She placed a small hand on the back of his head.

“Okay.”

After Lee had calmed down enough, and Tenten had reassured him that it didn’t look like he had been crying, they continued on their journey, walking away from the monument and down a busy market street. 

There was so much to look at, Lee wasn’t sure what he wanted to do first. Delicious smells traveled out of multiple restaurants, making both of their stomach’s growl. Colorful stands sat every few feet, enticing Lee to spend all of his money. He knew he had room in his budget for a few souvenirs, but he didn’t want to spend all of his money at once. He knew he wanted to get Gaara something. But what could he get?

As he and Tenten passed another booth, something shiny caught the corner of his eye.

A fridge magnet!

He knew some people collected magnets. Gaara didn’t. Not yet, anyway. That was perfect! Lee would get Gaara a new magnet at every place he visited. He grabbed Tenten by the elbow, pulling her up to the stand.

“Help me pick one for Gaara!” he said excitedly, looking at all of the options.

Tenten snorted slightly. “A magnet?”

“Tenten!” he whined, “Please just help me pick!”

Tenten laughed, then pointed to one of the magnets. 

“Tenten, I am not sure you took this seriously. This is obviously the best choice,” Lee said, picking a flashy magnet featuring the name of the city. He handed it to the cashier, then got his wallet out.

“...why did you ask for my opinion then?” 

“It was very useful!” he said, taking the magnet from the cashier after paying. “It helped me rule one out!”

Tenten just sighed, then nudged Lee with her hip. After a few minutes of walking, Tenten pulled them into the bookstore that she had originally wanted to visit. Luckily for them, it was also connected to a cafe which not only meant food, but also free wifi.

After perusing the aisles for a few minutes, they stepped into the cafe side of the shop. They both ordered their food, then sat down. Lee immediately opened his phone and connected to the internet. He pulled up his work chat, then sent Gaara a quick message.

Rock Lee

“I am so sorry, love. My service went out, so I was unable to text or call you. I hope this doesn’t become a regular thing.”

Lee added a small frowny face, then sent the picture he had originally meant to message Gaara, then glanced at the time. It was now ten. Gaara would have put the baby down, if Temari hadn’t already picked him up. He sighed, then set his phone down to begin eating. 

Half way through his food, his phone went off.

Subaku Gaara

“Don’t worry about it, Lee. This is just going to take some getting used to. Taking the baby home now. Will call you in the morning.”

Lee sighed, then told Gaara he loved him. He pocketed his phone and set his cheek on his fist, chewing his food. As he was about to finish, he remembered something Tenten had said earlier.

“You said that Tsunade texted you? What did she need?” Lee hoped she decided to start training early. Even with everything happening, Lee was still having fun, but he was looking forward to getting a work out in. 

“Oh, yeah.” Tenten took another bite of food. “She wants us to meet her for dinner. She’s going to introduce her godson to us and discuss the training schedule,” she finished, her mouth full of food.

“Okay,” Lee said, pushing his plate back slightly. “What did you want to do after this?”

Tenten sat back and stretched her arms over her head. “I dunno. I was thinking about just heading back to the hotel. Maybe go for a swim. Anything in particular you had in mind?”

Lee shook his head. “I think I would also like to get a workout in, and probably check work emails. I am still supposed to be working off site. I worry about them firing me if I slack at all,” he said, ripping the napkin he had used into little pieces. Tenten placed her hand over his, stopping his nervous habit.

“Lee, they’re not going to fire you. You run almost all of the programs for that branch. Your director wouldn’t have approved it if they weren’t okay with you going. And besides, the last thing you are is a slacker.” She pushed her chair back and stood up. “Come on, let’s start heading back.”

Lee stood hesitantly. “Are you sure there was nothing else you wanted to do?” It was her trip, too. Lee didn’t want to dictate everything they did.

“Nope! Plus, we still have a few weeks left here before we go to the next country. It’ll be fine, don’t worry, Lee.”

Even with her reassurance, Lee still had a hard time keeping his mind calm.

Once back to the hotel, Lee said goodbye, assuring Tenten he would meet her in the lobby when it was time for dinner. He walked up to his hotel room, his spirits somewhat dampened by the struggle he and Gaara were having with communicating. Lee knew that he would miss Gaara’s presence, but he had been reassured by the fact that they could still call and text. He worried that he wouldn’t even be allowed that opportunity.

He sat in front of his small hotel desk and sighed. He pulled his laptop from his suitcase, flipping it open and connecting it to the hotel’s internet. After idly pulling up his webcam program and making sure it worked, he pulled up his work email. He flicked through a few, answering Shino’s questions about the nature program and assuring Sai that he would do a great job teaching. Surprisingly, he didn’t have many emails in his inbox. It had only been a day since he had left, but normally there were more around this time. Perhaps things would be going better than he realized.

He pulled up a few documents containing evaluations he had been working on. Though he wasn’t often assigned to direct cases, he was asked to do evaluations of certain kids and their behavior in the program. He updated each file, reporting his conclusions thus far and jotting down what sorts of programs or activities would help them in the future. He made a note to follow up with each of his coworker’s at the end of next week. That would give them some time to get their footing. Then from there, he could start asking more specific questions on each of the children he was working with.

Lee leaned back and ran his hand through his hair. Though he enjoyed a change of scenery from time to time, he was also a creature of habit. Even though he had managed to distract himself a bit, there was always that reminder on the edge of his subconscious, reminding him that he would be doing something drastically different than he currently was. Right now he would be in bed with Gaara curled around him…

Lee sat up from the desk and closed the laptop. 

“I need to make the most out of this trip,” Lee said aloud, doing his best to convince himself. “If I do nothing but mope around, the time I spend away from Gaara would have been for nothing.”

He breathed deeply, then rummaged through his suitcase to locate his workout gear. Not wanting a distraction, and knowing he wouldn’t be getting any notifications, he grabbed his key card and a water bottle, leaving his phone on his bed and heading to the floor where the fitness center was.

After almost an hour of running on the treadmill, Lee felt someone poke his arm. He looked over to see Tenten, also in her workout gear, smiling at him. He grinned back, then turned the speed down. He had fallen one too many times while trying to hold a conversation on a treadmill.

“Hey, Lee. How’s the workout?”

“It is going great! I am feeling much better. I can feel the youthfulness flooding through my veins!”

Tenten pretended to retch. “You sound just like Gai when you do that. Anyway, will you come spot me? Then we should probably be heading out.”

Lee nodded, then slowed his pace to a light jog, then a slow walk after a few minutes. He would take some time to fully cool down with some stretches back in his hotel room, but he knew it wasn’t good to go from running to hardly moving at all.

He walked over to the bench where Tenten was currently laying. She grabbed the metal bar above her, fitted with weights much larger than most girls her age would be able to hold, then lifted it up and off of its stand. Lee stood behind her, watching to make sure that she didn’t accidentally drop the bar on herself or need help pulling it back up. She never did. Tenten was the strongest woman that Lee knew. 

After a few more reps, Tenten placed the bar back onto its stand with a huff. She sat up, careful not to bang her head on it. “Lee, did you want to do some lifting?”

He glanced at the clock on the wall, then back to her. “I think we should probably go get ready for dinner, but I will take you up on that offer next time!” He smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up. She smiled back, then pushed him away.

“Go shower. You stink.”

Lee laughed and went back to his hotel room.

After they had both showered and were presentable once again, they went down to the lobby to wait for Tsunade and her godson. She showed up only minutes later looking extremely irritated and what she would probably consider to be much too sober.

“Naruto, if you don’t calm the fuck down I’m going to dump your ass on the street,” she grumbled. Lee looked past her slightly to see a guy around his age with bright yellow hair following her. Looking closer at his face, he could see scratches on his cheeks. Lee remembered Tsunade saying he was also a skater. He didn’t seem to be someone who wrecked gracefully.

Noticing them waiting, Tsunade walked up, her expression smoothing slightly. “Hey, kids,” she said, placing a hand on her hip. “Thanks for waiting. You ready to eat?”

Lee and Tenten nodded, smiling at her expectantly.

“Oh, and just so you guys don’t get the wrong idea, you’re all paying for yourselves.”

“Oh, we would never expect--” Lee began to stammer, but was interrupted by the scratched up guy behind Tsunade.

“Wow, just gonna leave me out of this one, huh? Typical,” he said with a pout, crossing his arms and sticking his lower lip out dramatically.

Tsunade sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Lee, Tenten, this is my godson, Naruto. He’s a bastard.”

Naruto dropped his hands to his sides, glaring at Tsunade. “Alright, that was uncalled for.” He stuck a hand out to Lee, shaking it enthusiastically. “The name’s Uzumaki Naruto. I’m a skater, too, probably the best there is. And if there’s anyone better, you can bet your ass that I’ll work hard until I beat them.” He took Tenten’s hand, shaking it once, then bending down to kiss it.

“Knock it off, dipshit,” Tsunade growled, hitting him in the back of the head.

“Alright, I’m sorry, okay?” He turned away from Tenten who looked very disgusted. He looked at Lee, quirking an eyebrow. “I would have kissed your hand, too, but you look like you could kick my ass.”

“I’m pretty sure we all could,” Tenten said. “You’re kinda scrawny.”

Naruto glared at her then, realizing she was right, backed down. “So, are we gonna go to dinner or what?”

Tsunade sighed, then walked out of the lobby. Naruto followed close behind, continuing to whine. Lee looked at Tenten whose expression was a mix of shock, disgust, and mild amusement. 

“Do you think he is really our age?” Lee asked as they began to follow. 

“I sure hope not,” Tenten replied, slipping her hand into Lee’s as they walked down the street.

Lee soon discovered that he wasn’t their age, though he was only a year younger. Even that was hard to believe. Lee was as passionate about youth as the next guy, but Naruto didn’t seem to have ever left high school. 

They also quickly learned about Naruto’s self proclaimed “rival” and the love of his life.

“It’s like, I fucking hate him, but I also wanna fuck him, you know?” Naruto explained with his mouth full. Tsunade, who had apparently heard this enough times to tune it out without missing anything, ignored the three of them and just sipped the drink she had ordered. Lee hoped it would calm her down a bit. Her anger was starting to stress him out.

“Er, no, I do not know,” Lee said,taking a drink of water.

Naruto barked a laugh. “Which part do you not relate to? Wanting to fuck, or hating someone? Or both?”

Lee laughed nervously and shoved food in his mouth, wanting to avoid the subject.

“Lee doesn’t hate anyone,” Tenten said, swirling her drink around. She, too, had apparently had enough of Naruto and had opted to cope with a glass of wine. Unfortunately, this made her a bit more open than Lee would have liked. “He does want to fuck someone, though.”

“Ooh!” Naruto said, clapping his hands together and wiggling his eyebrows. “Details. Now.”

“Er, I would rather not discuss it,” Lee said. It was nearing the time that Gaara would be awake. He was hoping they would get finished with dinner soon so he could go back to his hotel room and call him. He was starting to miss the sound of his voice.

“Aw, come on, man! I told you all about my dating life!”

“We never really asked though,” Tenten pointed out. Tsunade snorted, then began breaking into hysterics. Naruto grumbled, sinking lower into his seat. Lee, glad that the subject had been avoided, began to eat again. Tenten and Tsunade ordered another drink.

After the bills had been paid, they all walked back to the hotel together. Naruto, finally done talking about himself, asked Lee and Tenten about their lives. Tenten talked a little about all of the other tours she had done. Lee told him about being a social worker. He didn’t mention Gaara, though. He wanted to keep that part of him safe, for now. 

“It was really great to meet you guys!” Naruto called, waving as he walked toward his hotel room. Tenten and Lee waved back, then said goodnight to Tsunade.

“Lee, do you want to come to my room for a bit?” Tenten asked as they walked toward the elevators. 

“I would love to! I may have to step away for a few minutes to call Gaara, but I would enjoy spending some down time with you.”

Once back in Tenten’s room, they crawled onto her bed, leaning back against the headboard. She leaned her head onto his shoulder, then put a bad reality TV show on. Lee breathed deeply, using the show as white noise. At any minute, Gaara would be calling. For now, he would enjoy the time he had with Tenten. 

Almost half an hour later, his phone went off, pulling him from his relaxed state. He swiped open his phone to see another message from Gaara’s work chat.

Subaku Gaara

“Lee, I’m not going to be able to call right now. I had to come into work early and I won’t be able to step away to use my phone. I’m sorry.”

Lee read the text, then closed his eyes, doing his best to react rationally. He couldn’t keep getting upset over every little thing. This would just be their lives for the next little while. That didn’t change anything about how Gaara felt about Lee, or how he felt about Gaara. This was just how things were right now. He took another deep breath, then responded.

Rock Lee

“Please do not worry! I know they rely on you a lot, because you are so wonderful and dependable. Is everything alright?”

Sabaku Gaara

“Yes. We have been taking on more cases lately, so we’re a bit overloaded at the moment. But it’s okay. It just means we’re doing more good.”

Rock Lee

“That is very true! I am so proud of you!”

They continued to chat for almost an hour, until Lee realized that Tenten had fallen asleep against him, and that he needed to get up early to train. He gently slipped from underneath Tenten, lying her down and pulling her blankets up over her. He turned the TV off and quietly slipped out of her room, making sure that it locked properly. He made his way back to his own room, pausing every once in a while to respond to a chat Gaara had sent him. Once inside, he readied himself for bed, then slipped under the covers, setting his alarm for the next day.

Sabaku Gaara

“You should probably go to sleep now. I’m sorry for keeping you up. Love and miss you, Lee.”

Rock Lee

“Please do not apologize, sweetheart! I stayed up because I wanted to talk with you. I will message you when I am awake. Have a great day at work! I love and miss you, too!”

Lee put his phone on silent, then set it on the nightstand. He knew that Gaara would probably message him at least one more time, and even though he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the night talking to him, he also knew that he needed sleep.

The next day, Lee found himself in a similar position to the dream he had just the other night. He didn’t lose the ring, and he wasn’t surrounded by hundreds of Gaara’s, but he seemed to be wrecking more than he usually did. It’s not that he wasn’t used to the size of the ramp. He was using his favorite skateboard. His shoes were already broken in. There seemed to be no logical reason that he was messing up so much.

After what felt like the hundredth wreck, Tenten rolled up next to Lee, popping her board up into her hand and helping him up.

“What’s going on, Lee? Are you feeling okay?”

Lee breathed deeply, attempting to recover from the last fall. That one had been a particularly hard fall. 

“I am not sure, Tenten. I feel off today. I do not know why.”

“Maybe it’s because the air here is different,” Naruto barked from the other side of the ramp. He rolled over, attempting to balance on one leg on his board. “Do you need anything, dude?”

“Um, can you get him some water?” Tenten asked, shielding Lee from Naruto slightly.

“Yeah, sure, whatever,” he replied, placing his hands behind his head in a show of indifference. He skated away, leaving Tenten and Lee alone once again.

“Is it because of Gaara?” she asked, her eyes full of concern. Lee smiled at her and shook his head.

“I am sure that may be part of it, but I think I am just in a weird headspace. Sorry. I will do my best to get back into the right mentality!” he said, throwing his fist up in the same determined way he always did.

Tenten grabbed his arm and gently pulled it down. “Lee, you don’t need to push yourself so hard. We still have some time before the competition. Just try to have fun today, yeah? I bet I can do way more 360’s than you,” she said with a competitive smirk.

Lee’s thick eyebrows drew down as he smiled at her. “You are so on.”

As Lee climbed back to the top of the ramp, he shook his head in an attempt to dust the cobwebs out. 

For Gaara, he thought, then pushed himself over the edge of the ramp and over to the other side. He flew up, turning with his board in a graceful circle, then coming back down only to shoot up the opposite side and do it over again.


	9. The First Competition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee spends some time with Tenten and has his first skate competition!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going to start uploading these more frequently so that way I can get it all up and off my hands! Have a great day, friends.

“Lee, do you wanna stay in my room tonight? We could have a sleepover!” 

Lee unclipped his helmet as Tenten pulled off her elbow pads.

“Of course! That sounds great. Give me a bit to shower, then I will be over,” Lee responded, shaking his sweat soaked bowl cut.

“Alright! I’ll order room service, so don’t eat before you come over.”

“Thank you, Tenten! I am so excited!”

They arrived back to the hotel and parted momentarily to go to their individual rooms. Lee’s spirits felt much higher. Eventually he had been able to successfully land the tricks he had been practicing for the competition that weekend. Though he was only able to accomplish them once, he felt better knowing that he hadn’t somehow lost all of his talent. It was just an off day. He had to remind himself multiple times that it was okay to have days like these, but in the end he was able to set himself into a more positive mindset. 

Once in his room, he showered, scrubbing all of the sweat off of him. He massaged the shampoo into his hair, doing his best to release some of the tension from the day as well as reset his way of thinking. Anytime Lee got into a negative headspace about something he felt passionate about, he would end up spiraling, growing increasingly more negative until he almost became a danger to himself. Luckily, he had been able to recognize this pattern and work on correcting it.

Once out of the shower, Lee slipped on his comfiest pajamas. He grabbed his phone and charger, sent Gaara a quick text letting him know that he was done with practice, then headed down a floor to Tenten’s room. He raised his hand to knock, but was interrupted by the familiar sound of a train. He frowned, glancing down at his phone. Gaara had texted him.

Gaara

“Sorry to hear training didn’t go very well. Are you doing alright now?”

Lee

“Love, why are you up?? You should be asleep!”

Gaara

“Can’t sleep. Please don’t brush the question off, Lee.”

Lee squirmed slightly. He had a bad habit of deflecting questions like that, especially from Gaara. If he ever felt like there might be something wrong with Gaara, he would avoid anything that would stress him out more, even if it came at the cost of his own mental health.

Lee

“I am alright. I am trying hard to not be too negative or hard on myself.”

Gaara

“That’s good. I’m proud of you. Regardless of what you think, you’re doing an amazing job, babe.”

Lee’s heart fluttered. He sent Gaara another message, thanking him and asking about his day. Deciding he had stayed in the hallway too long, he slipped his phone into his pocket and knocked on the door. Less than a second after he had knocked, Tenten opened it.

“Tenten!” Lee said with a laugh, pulling her into a hug. “That was so quick!”

“I was watching you through the peephole,” she replied, pulling him into the room. “You were taking so long.”

“Tenten, I cannot believe you were spying on me!” Lee said with mock horror. Tenten laughed, then pushed him gently toward the bed. Once he was seated, she grabbed a plate of food off of a nearby tray and handed it to him.

“Thank you so much!” He began eating, not realizing how hungry he actually was. Maybe he trained harder today than he had thought. Tenten grabbed her own plate, then plopped onto the bed next to Lee. They chatted idly while eating, discussing the competition. Anytime Lee would stray to talking about their training that day, Tenten would gently pull him back, making sure that he didn’t dwell on it too much. Once they had eaten and the conversation had lulled, Tenten pulled herself off the bed and walked toward the bathroom. 

“Lee, I’m going to put on a face mask. Will you put a movie on?”

“Of course!” Lee sat back into the plush pillows and began flicking through the selection of shows the hotel had to offer. After putting on one of Tenten’s favorites, he rolled off the bed, sneaking to the bathroom.

“Ten. Psst. Tenten. I want to do a face mask, too.”

Tenten snorted. “Lee, remember that huge mess you made last time?”

“Tenten!” Lee whined, leaning on the door frame. “Come on, it will be fun! We can take selfies to send to Gaara!”

On queue, Lee’s phone went off again. He smiled as he reached into his pocket, pulling his phone out to respond to the love of his life. Once he had sent the message, he pocketed his phone again and looked up at Tenten. As soon as they made eye contact, Tenten stuck out her thumb and rubbed it against Lee’s cheek, smearing it with gray goo. 

“That is so cold!” Lee yelped, stepping back slightly.

“Do you not want to do it?”

“No, no, I do!”

Tenten pulled Lee’s face down gently, then smeared the mask on in a shape that matched hers. After a few minutes, she pulled back and laughed. Lee looked in the mirror at the both of them, breaking into a huge grin. It wasn’t often that he could spend moments like these with Tenten. But when he did, it reminded him of when they lived together and Tenten was always around. He often wished that they had been born as siblings, that way they would have been able to fully grow up together, but Lee was just glad that they found each other in the end.

After about ten minutes of random, goofy mirror selfies, they washed the mask off.

“Lee, your face is bright red!” Tenten said, laughing and pointing at him. “It’s so red it’s like the color of Gaara’s hair!”

Lee looked in the mirror and laughed with her. She took his phone from him and took another picture, then, while Lee was distracted, sent it to Gaara. Hearing the message go through, Lee pulled the phone out of her hand to see what she sent. Tenten continued to laugh.

Lee

“Come get your man.”

“Tenten!” Lee said, shoving her arm gently. “I do not talk like that!”

Tenten smacked him with the dirty washcloth, then walked back out to the main room.

“Gaara knows that. He’ll know it was me.”

They sat on the bed and finished watching the movie. It seemed that Gaara had finally been able to sleep, as he never answered the text that “Lee” had sent. He looked at it again, smiling at the written acknowledgement that Lee was, in fact, Gaara’s man. 

Once the movie had finished, Lee rolled on his side and propped his head up.

“So, how do these competitions usually go? I know we both did a few amateur ones when we were younger. Are these any different?”

Tenten rolled to face him, pulling the blanket up over herself. “Mm, these ones are pretty similar, though they’re a lot more strict. It’s the same old, ‘Do a fancy trick, get some points,’ kinda thing, but they also take points away.”

Lee adjusted his arm and quirked a thick brow with her. “There are deductions? What for?”

“Oh, you know, wrecking, misstepping, doing too many repetitions of the same trick, etcetera, etcetera.”

Lee wasn’t entirely sure what she meant by “etcetera,” but he nodded anyway.

“Don’t worry though,” she said, turning onto her back and flicking through the movies again. “You hardly ever mess up much. I think you’ll do just fine, especially if you pull out those hard hitters of yours.”

Lee hummed in response, then turned to the new movie Tenten had put on. His mind wandered as it played, thinking of the competition as well as Gaara. He pulled his phone out, swiping it open and going to his pictures. There he had an entire album dedicated to Gaara that took up a good chunk of space in his storage. As Tenten watched the movie, Lee flicked through familiar pictures of his love. He had been worried that it would have only made him sadder, but he found himself smiling more often than not. A lot of the pictures were candid, Gaara not being one to pose often. But, he did have one picture that he liked the most, especially since Gaara was actually facing the camera. 

It was a picture of them about one year after they had started dating. They were at the skate park where Lee’s program was held. Lee had been asking Gaara for a long time to take one with him, and he was finally able to wear him down. Lee stood with his arm wrapped around Gaara’s shoulders, his tattoos contrasting against the gray sweater Gaara wore. His left hand was on Lee’s chest and he smiled lightly while Lee gave the camera a huge grin. Lee’s heart skipped when he realized that soon the hand that was on his chest would have a wedding ring. He felt under his shirt for the small bump, patting is slightly. It was still there. Gaara was still there. Everything was alright.

After a few more minutes of pondering, Lee turned back to ask Tenten a question. He quickly shut his mouth when he realized that she was sound asleep. He grabbed the remote and turned the TV off. He momentarily hopped out of bed to turn the lights out, then pulled the blanket up and over Tenten’s shoulder. After checking his phone one more time, Lee set it on Tenten’s nightstand and laid down, making sure to put enough space between them. Lee didn’t mind cuddling, but Tenten was a kicker. 

The next morning, Lee woke up with a fierce determination. He knew that he had lost a lot of valuable training time when he kept messing up the day previous. He was going to put as much energy into today as possible. With a new burst of anxious energy, Lee jumped out of Tenten’s bed, running out the door and down the hall to his room. He threw open his door, shrugged into his most comfortable skating clothes, then went down to the hotel lobby to wait. He had some extra time, so he decided to call Gaara. After a few short rings, he picked up.

“Hello?”

At the sound of his voice, Lee began to tear up. “Gaara! Hello! It is so good to hear your voice. How are you? How was your day?”

“It’s good to hear yours, too, Lee. It was just fine. I’m driving home from work right now,” Gaara answered. 

“That is wonderful! How have you been settling into the new house?” Lee bounced on the tips of his toes. He was feeling amazing.

“It’s actually been really nice. I miss you, but having some extra space and quiet has been really helpful. I feel a lot more relaxed.”

“That is so good to hear! Hopefully you do not miss it when I come home.” Lee gave a tight laugh.

“Lee, that’s ridiculous and you know it. Besides, Kankuro is coming over tonight. I would much rather have your company than his any day,” Gaara snorted.

“You are right. Sorry, love.”

“You don’t have to apologize, Lee. What are you doing today?”

Lee watched Tenten walk into the lobby and make her way over to him. “We are training all day. I am going to really push myself today so that I can be prepared for the competition on Sunday!” Lee pumped a determined fist, causing Tenten to roll her eyes.

“Push yourself, but not too hard, okay Lee? Take care of yourself, don’t over do it. Train smarter, not harder.”

Lee laughed. “You sound just like Gai!”

“Perhaps he has rubbed off onto me,” Gaara laughed. They talked for a few minutes longer until Tsunade walked up to them, her dark circles prominent. Naruto followed on her heels carrying a mug of coffee. The outside read, “I wish this was vodka.” Tsunade’s mug, then.

“Alright, you brats ready to go?” she grumbled. Lee turned slightly to close his phone call while Tenten chatted with her.

“I have to go, sweetheart. I am so sorry! I will talk to you tomorrow morning, okay? Today’s training is not as long so I will have more time to chat with you!”

“Sounds good. Thank you, Lee. I love you.”

“I love you, too! You are so wonderful!”

After one final goodbye, Lee hung up his phone and turned around briskly.

“Your little love fest over?” Tsunade asked, walking past Lee toward the main entrance. He flushed bright red, but didn’t answer. He frowned in determination as he followed her out the door. As Tenten might have said, he was going to work his ass off today.

“Lee, don’t you think you’re going a little overboard?” Lee heard Tenten call from the bottom of the ramp. Sweat was dripping off of his face as he stood at the top, preparing to descend once again. They had been training for almost eight hours. When everyone else had stopped to eat lunch, Lee had continued through. He had been planning on sending Gaara a quick text during their morning break, but he decided to train right through it. Gaara was with Kankuro so he wasn’t alone, and Lee needed to make sure that he would make him proud at the competition. He wouldn’t let Gaara down.

“Tenten, I am just trying to ensure I am in top form for Sunday!” he called down, panting slightly. He lifted up the bottom of his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face. Somewhere below him he heard Naruto wolf whistle. Choosing to ignore both of them, he placed the end of his board back on the ledge, then pushed over. Seconds later, he popped up on the opposite side, grabbing the bottom of his board in one hand and the ramp in the other, holding himself up in the air. He held himself there for as long as he could, his arm shaking slightly from overuse. He counted how long he was up, then placed his board back under his feet to ride back down the ramp. 

“Not long enough,” he grumbled to himself. If he couldn’t even hold a hand plant for an extended amount of time, how was he supposed to make Gaara proud?

As he rolled down, he pushed off of the ground, hurtling himself toward the other side of the ramp even faster. As he came back up that side, he threw himself back into the hand plant, this time gripping the wood so tightly that his fingers turned white. His whole body stiffened as he held himself in the air, eyebrows scrunched together and sweat dripping beneath him. Once he was satisfied with the length of his hold, he dropped back down, landing gracefully on his board and making his way to where Tenten stood below him. 

“Lee, why are you ignoring me?” Tenten asked, her buns bobbing as she put an annoyed hand on her hip.

“Sorry, Tenten. I am just trying really hard to perfect everything! I want to do my best on Sunday.”

“I know, Lee, but I think you might be overdoing it a bit. Don’t you agree? I mean, what you just did was amazing! Better than anything I’ve seen at these competitions. I think you should give yourself a bit of a break.”

Before Lee could protest, Tsunade walked up to them, taking Lee’s board out of his hands. “I don’t care if you agree or not, but I do. Lee, you need to take it easy. Yes, you need to work hard, but not to this extreme. You’re done for the night. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

Lee jutted his lower lip out somewhat childishly. 

Tsunade glared at him. “Give me that look and we’ll cancel practice for tomorrow, too. Kakashi told me about how you get. I’m not letting you get to that point, okay, Lee? I care about your health, not just the money. Though they might be tied in importance… anyway, Naruto, we’re leaving now.”

“Aww, c’mon, grandma, I wanted to get some skating in!”

Tsunade whirled around, pinching Naruto’s cheek and pulling him close to her face. “What did I say about calling me that?! You’re here because of me, I would watch how you talk.” 

She released his cheek in a huff. Naruto rubbed it and followed after her, grumbling the whole time. Lee sighed, his body suddenly drained of energy now that he no longer had adrenaline pumping through it. Tenten grabbed his elbow gently, and they began walking in the direction Tsunade and Naruto had gone.

Lee opted to run back to the hotel rather than take the car with the others. He could tell that once he stopped moving, the soreness would settle in. He wanted to avoid this as much as possible, especially since he wouldn’t be able to cool down for a bit, so he ran. Tenten had told him goodnight before driving away, so Lee could go directly to bed without having to do anything else. Gaara would still be asleep, but he looked forward to being able to talk to him in the morning.

Lee trudged through the door of his hotel, every muscle in his body aching. Tenten was right. He overdid it, as usual. His muscles were already beyond exhausted before he ran home. He couldn’t help overtraining, though. He felt so terrible for slacking off the day before and he needed to make Gaara proud. How could he do that when he wasn’t giving his all into his training? And with the competition coming up in just a few days, he needed to push himself as hard as possible. Losing the very first one he did felt like a bad omen. He wasn’t going to let that happen.

Lee pulled a water bottle out from the mini fridge at the back of his room and flopped onto the bed, his whole body flooding with relief now that he allowed it to rest for the first time that day. He didn’t want to let his muscles sit too long, worried that the lactic acid would have too much time to settle. He laid down for a moment, sipping his water, then sat up to take a bath and stretch before settling in for the night.

Just as he was about to remove his sweaty clothes to bathe, his phone began alerting him that he had an incoming video call. He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. The only person who ever called him using video chat was Gaara. He glanced over at the alarm clock on his night stand. It was almost three in the morning back at home. What was going on?

He grabbed his phone off of its place on his bed and checked the screen. It was Gaara. He swiped it open quickly, worried that something was horribly wrong. Nausea built in his stomach as he did so, his anxiety getting the best of him despite his efforts to remain calm. He had been doing better keeping it at bay, but he couldn’t help but do anything except worry when he knew that so much could go wrong and he was so far away.

“Leeeee?” Gaara said on the other line, their connection fuzzy due to their distance and the less-than-great internet Lee had in the hotel.

“Yes, Gaara? I am here, is everything alright? You should be sleeping, how come you--”

Lee cut himself off, tears filling his eyes as he feared the worst.

“Lee, you alwaysss worry too much. ‘M fine. Kanks here. How’s it going?” Gaara slurred every word, making him almost sound like he was drunk.

Oh.

Lee looked at the background of the video, as best as he could. The corner of Gaara’s head took most of the screen, but just behind him he could see two shot glasses on the counter. Gaara didn’t drink a lot, usually only having a glass of wine or two, but sometimes Kankuro could convince him to do a shot, or two, or three. Or even more. That seemed to be the case tonight. Lee decided it would be best to act as if everything was normal in order to avoid causing problems, though at the moment he really would prefer to slip into a nice, hot bath tub. Even more than that, he wished Gaara was here to enjoy it with him, especially considering the size of the hotel tub.

“It is going very well! We had a grueling day of training today, but tomorrow we will have a chance to take it a bit easier to prepare for the competition. How are you doing, love?” Lee asked, his voice going soft.

Gaara stared off to the side of the camera where something apparently super interesting was happening. At the sound of “love,” Gaara whipped his head back around to stare at Lee. “Wazzut? Oh. I’m glad you had a good day. I had a good day, too. A reeaaaallllyyyy good day!” Gaara said, cackling slightly at the end. At the sound of his manic laughter, Kankuro stepped over to where he was, grabbing the phone out of Gaara’s hand who protested loudly.

“Gaara, shut the fuck up or the neighbors will be pissed.” He sighed, staring at the phone. “Hey, man. Sorry about this. I may have accidentally gotten him tipsier than I intended and… well… you know how he is.”

Lee nodded and sighed. “It is alright, Kankuro. I am glad you are there with him. Please make sure he takes two ibuprofen and drinks lots of water before he goes to bed. Oh, and you do the same as well!”

Kankuro nodded and yawned. “Got it, boss. I’m gonna give you back to the squirt now. Night.”

At this point Kankuro had held the phone up high, tilting it down on him so that Gaara, who was jumping all over his brother, couldn’t reach it. After Lee had said goodnight, Kankuro handed Gaara the phone as he smacked him repeatedly in the arm.

“He is my boyfriend, not yours. Wait, Lee, what d’ya mean ‘you know how I get?’” he asked, tears filling the corners of his eyes as he spoke. Gaara was usually stone faced and level headed, but alcohol brought out a more… sensitive side of him.

“Only that I know how much you miss me when you get drunk! Remember that one time we were at a party together? I stepped away for two minutes to use the restroom. When I came back you were curled in the fetal position on the couch crying because I was gone too long for your liking!” Lee laughed lightly, his heart constricting at the happy memory. He was so glad to be skating with Tenten, but he missed Gaara so much. The longing quickly turned into panic as he thought about their distance, but he squashed it down into the pit of his stomach as he had done all that week. 

“I do really miss you,” Gaara said, sniffling lightly. “I’m sorry if I ruined your night. I’ll hang up.”

“No, wait, Gaara! Please talk with me more, I really miss you, too! I was going to take a bath, but I am willing to wait for a bit so we can chat!” As Lee spoke, he could feel his muscles getting colder and settling into their sore state. Some things were worth it, though.

“Wait,” Gaara said, his cheeks flushing bright red. “You were gonna… take a bath?”

“Well, I might have… overdone it a bit with training today. But, it is alright, I will just stretch for an extra long time after I bathe later so my muscles don’t get sore!”

Gaara hiccuped slightly, then continued. “Ya know… to take a bath you have to… take off your shirt.”

Lee blinked, unsure of what Gaara was getting at, though he was glad he wasn’t scolding him for overdoing his training. “Yes, I know that. I don’t shower in my clothes, do you?” Lee laughed awkwardly.

“Nuh uh. But maybe… maybe you should get ready for your bath. Right now.”

“But, I am talking to you! I cannot take my phone into the tub, that would be dangerous!”

“Lee, I’m not saying get in the tub, I’m just sayin’ get ready for the tub. Like. Take your clothes off ‘n stuff.”

Finally, a switch flicked in Lee’s tired brain. Gaara did always have a thing for his tattooed chest, though Lee could never figure out why. But, it wouldn’t hurt to give him what he wanted…

Lee sighed, flopping the phone onto the bed as he removed his shirt. He heard confused, drunk Gaara saying, “Hey! Where’dja go? I was kidding, I’m sorry, Lee--”

Before Gaara could continue his drunken ramble, Lee picked the phone back up, his bare chest now visible on the phone. Gaara left out a soft gasp of admiration which caused Lee to laugh softly.

“Lee, have I ever told you how… sexy you are?”

“No, I do not think so. Which is alright, I do not think we are a ‘sexy’ couple, if you understand what I am saying.”

Gaara didn’t, but he was too distracted by the way the dim hotel lights made shadows on Lee’s muscles.

“Anyway, now that we have that out of the way, please tell me more about your day!”

“Lee, please be shush, I’m trying to admire the art.”

Lee’s face went bright red. “Gaara, I appreciate the compliments, but I would really rather talk to you. I think we should wait until you are sober tomorrow, though you will probably have a pretty bad headache.” 

“You never give me a headache, Lee. Sometimes my heart hurts from missing you, but not my head.”

“No, Gaara, that is not what I--” Lee sighed. He wasn’t going to get anywhere with this.

“My heart hurts too, Gaara. I wish I was there to hold you and kiss you and make sure you got into bed okay. But, I cannot do that at the moment. I promise we will see each other soon, but for now I need you to take care of yourself, okay? Did you eat dinner?”

Gaara sighed, his eyes half closed. “Yeahhh, Kankuro made me dinner. It was really nice of him. He’s a good brother. But you’re an even better boyfriend.”

Lee scrunched his eyebrows. He wasn’t sure that this comparison worked as soundly as Gaara had meant it, but he appreciated it nonetheless. “Well, I am glad you ate something. I am going to let you go to sleep now. Will you please call me when you wake up?”

“But, it’ll probably be super, super early for you when I wake up!” Gaara said with a yawn.

“I do not mind. I want to make sure you slept well. Can you please call, Gaara?”

“Call Gaara what?” he replied with a snort. Lee laughed with him. Drunk Gaara was always so dorky. “Yeah, I’ll call you. I love you, Lee. So much. ‘M sorry I ruined your bath time.”

“You did not ruin anything. I love you too, Gaara. Please go take some pain medicine, okay? And drink a glass of water? Over the sink, I know how much you spill, even when you are not drunk.”

“Okey dokey,” Gaara replied, giggling as he got up. Lee watched as Gaara sloppily downed two pain pills along with some water. Luckily, he only spilled a little bit. Once he had snuggled back onto the couch, he closed his eyes. Just before Lee hung up, Gaara mumbled, “Lee, please talk to me like you do when you’re home.”

Tears pricked Lee’s eyes again. He was glad to know that Gaara missed him as much he missed Gaara, but it made him feel so guilty. “Of course.”

Lee rambled on randomly for a few minutes, telling Gaara a bit about his day and detailing exactly why he loved him so much, just as he would if he were at home in Gaara’s arms. Eventually, Gaara’s arm slumped over and he began to snore lightly. Lee smiled and kissed the phone as he did every time they video chatted, even when he was still at home. After a few more “love you’s,” Lee ended the call and removed the once damp with sweat clothing. He moved rigidly to the bathroom, his muscles now stiff and cold. But it had been worth it to talk to Gaara, even if he wasn’t fully there at the time. 

As Lee slipped into the burning water, his mind cleared slightly. He would be home sooner than he knew, and would miss this trip. He would do his best to enjoy it while he could, even though he missed Gaara so much. The warmth surrounded him and he tried to pretend that he was home in bed and that the warmth was coming from Gaara. It didn’t really work, but Lee could remember the smell of Gaara’s hair as if it were right underneath his chin. This would work for now.

Two days later, Lee found himself in hot water again, except this time it wasn’t the tub, though he wished it was. It was finally Sunday and he was currently standing at the top of a skate ramp. He had ridden on these many times throughout his life, but this time it felt different. This was his first professional skating competition. This was his dream. 

Training the day before had gone a lot better than the two days previous. Not wanting to make Tenten worry, and with Tsunade”s threat hanging over his head, he had eased up on himself, finding a good balance between the two days previous. He still worked hard and found himself sore after, but it was nothing compared to the exhaustion from Friday. 

Once they had finished training, Tenten had suggested they get massages at the hotel spa. She reasoned that between traveling and the intense training, they would need something to loosen up their muscles. Lee agreed to go with her, though he was somewhat hesitant. He couldn’t deny that it was relaxing, but it was nothing compared to Gaara’s massages. Lee had once joked that he had magic fingers. Unfortunately, Kankuro was around when Lee had said that and chose to make a very inappropriate joke.

Lee looked around him as he stood at the top of the ramp. There were a lot more people in the crowd than he had expected. Flashes of light were going off down below as photographers worked to capture the event. It felt similar to the dream he had a few days previous, but very different at the same time. For starters, Gaara wasn’t with him.

He hadn’t been able to talk to him that day, but he was able to call for a bit the day previous. Gaara had profusely apologized for calling when he was drunk.

“Love, it really is alright! It was nice to see you and talk to you!” Lee had said, laughing lightly. He really didn’t mind. He wished he could have been there to make sure Gaara stayed safe, but otherwise he was happy to have talked to him.

“I should have put my phone away. Or I should have refused the shots. I don’t know. I just wanted to loosen up a bit. Because I missed you.”

“I am sorry, love. I miss you, too. I really do not mind that you called. I am so glad you did!” Lee replied.

“Okay.”

They had talked for a bit longer before Lee needed to leave to train. He hadn’t talked to Gaara since then. As he stood on the ramp waiting for his turn, he thought about Gaara. He had always been a source of peace and comfort for Lee. Even though he wasn’t there, just knowing what Gaara would say and do helped calm Lee down. He would hug him tightly, kiss his cheek, and tell him that he loved him no matter what. He would also tell Lee how good he looked in tight, skater jeans. Lee blushed at the thought. 

He heard the crowd around him erupt into cheers, pulling him out of his thoughts. He pulled Gaara’s ring out from under his shirt, gripping it tightly as he looked at the large screen over his head. There were three judges this competition. They would each give a rating out of ten based on the difficulty of the tricks performed, speed, and accuracy. Lee’s heartbeat quickened as he watched the skater before him ride off, awaiting his scoring. Lee looked between the skater and the screen. After a few moments, his score popped up on the board.

8.7. 9.3. 9.8.

Lee swallowed nervously, bouncing on the tips of his toes. It was now his turn. He tucked Gaara’s ring into his shirt and stepped up to the edge of the ramp. He felt a strong hand clap his shoulder, and he turned to see Tsunade standing behind him. He had forgotten that she was there.

“Good luck, kid. Don’t be nervous. You’re one of the best there is. I wouldn’t have picked you otherwise. You’re gonna kill it.”

Lee smiled at her weakly and nodded. He didn’t say anything back, worried that he would throw up if he opened his mouth. He turned back to the ramp and took a deep breath, waiting to be announced.

“And next to the ramp is Rock Lee! Lee, you have seven minutes on the clock to give it your all. Folks, let’s hear it for our newest competitor!”

The crowd erupted into cheers. Even though he had seen it first hand back at home, he was still surprised to see how open and welcoming the skating community was. He had learned from Tenten that even overseas the competitors were a tight knit group. He was happy to see that they had accepted him so quickly. 

As Lee dropped down the ramp starting his time, he felt his necklace raise slightly, reminding him of Gaara. 

“This is for you, love.”

Lee picked up speed, then shot up the other side, settling into his element as the wind rushed past his face. He started things off with a simple hand stall, though the amount of time he held it was impressive. He faintly heard the crowd cheer, but didn’t pay much attention. From there he rolled back down, coming up the other side and flipping up and over himself in a graceful arc. He continued to stun the audience throughout the seven minutes, dipping and landing with an elegance not usually associated with a skater. It seemed as if the board had become an extension of his own body. They flowed together so well that it looked easy.

At the sound of the buzzer overhead, Lee rolled back up the side of the ramp he had initially descended on, hopping off his board and popping it into his hand. He breathed heavily, not realizing before how hard he had actually pushed himself. He walked up to Tsunade who looked extremely pleased.

“Way to fucking go, kid! That was insane.” She high fived him and settled her hand on his shoulder as they waited for the scores. Lee’s heart pounded wildly, whether it was because of his skating or the anticipation, he wasn’t sure. He pulled Gaara’s ring out from under his shirt again, holding it tightly in his hand as his eyes stayed glued to the large screen overhead. After what felt like hours, his scores appeared on the screen.

10\. 9.9. 10.

Lee’s mouth opened slightly in shock, unable to fully register his success at first. Tsunade smirked, then slammed her hand into his back, knocking him off balance slightly. 

“That’s a win for sure. No doubt about it.” 

Lee laughed somewhat deliriously, and shook his head. Not only did he just compete in his first professional skating competition, but he managed to do extremely well! He wasn’t sure what the partial point was taken off for, but he really didn’t care. He had done it! He had accomplished his dream! And he was just getting started. He had many more competitions to go. And if he was lucky, a championship was in his future.

“Lee! That was amazing!” he heard Tenten yell after he had gotten down from the ramp. Tenten had competed earlier. Though she didn’t score as well as Lee, she still managed to pull off a clean score of 9, 8.5, and 9.3. Tsunade was sure she would at least get second place for her division. 

She threw herself at Lee, hugging him tightly around the neck. He laughed and dropped his board with a clatter. He held her tightly, swinging her off the ground and accidentally popping her back. She laughed with him, then squirmed out of his grip.

“How do you feel? You have to be pleased with that!”

Lee picked up his board, then looked at her, his grin wide. “I--I… yeah! I think I did fairly well!”

“Lee! You’re far too modest. You kicked ass!”

Lee laughed brightly, a mixture of adrenaline and pride making his spirits soar. “Thank you so much, Tenten! You did an amazing job as well!”

“Thanks, Lee! I’m so glad you’re here. This is incredible!”

They continued to babble excitedly as the remainder of the skaters competed. Naruto, who seemed to have been roped in as Tsunade’s assistant, took their helmets and skateboards from them after handing out waters. Lee’s stomach filled with butterflies when he finally heard the announcement that the competition was over and that they would start calling placements. 

He squeezed Tenten’s hand as they went through the women’s category. Third place was called, then second, and Tenten didn’t place either spot. 

“And first place goes to…” Lee gripped Tenten’s hand tighter. “Tenten! A crowd favorite by far!”

Tenten jumped into the air, pumping her fist wildly. She hugged Lee excitedly, then ran up to the podium to get her medal and to pose for a picture with the other winners. Lee’s heart swelled with pride. Though he had been able to see some of her competitions back at home, he had never been able to see one of this scale. He was so proud of how far she had come and how hard she worked. She skipped back to him, her smile so wide it looked like it hurt.

“Lee, don’t cry!” she said with a laugh. She wiped his tears away, then handed a small envelope to Tsunade. She opened it, taking out some of the prize money, then handing it back. Even though they paid Tsunade to manage them, she still took a cut of their earnings. Lee didn’t really mind. He would have done this for free.

At long last, the men’s division was being called. Lee held Gaara’s ring in one hand, and Tenten’s hand in the other. He made a mental note to himself to make sure to put the ring in its box for a few days. He didn’t want it getting dirty before Gaara even had the chance to wear it.

Third and second place were called and, similar to Tenten, Lee’s name hadn’t been announced. He deflated slightly. He was proud of what he had done, but it still would have been nice to win. He thought he had a chance for one of the top places, but there was no way he would have been able to--

“And in first place, we have our newcomer who shocked the judges! Rock Lee!”

Lee froze in place, his ears ringing slightly. He had won? On his very first competition? 

Tenten shoved him forward, yelling wildly. He stepped up to the podium as cameras flashed brightly around him. His cheeks flushed, he being unused to all of the attention. One of the judges stepped up to him, placing a medal around his neck. 

“Hey, sick tatts, man,” they said, offering their fist out to him. Lee smiled, then bumped it with his own. After posing for a few pictures with the other winners, Lee was handed a small envelope. He stepped down and made his way back to Tenten and Tsunade. 

He smiled down at Tenten as he handed Tsunade the envelope. Tears filled Tenten’s eyes as she looked up at her brother. He extended the same gesture she had, wiping the moisture from her cheeks. She laughed, then threw her arms around Lee’s neck.

“You fucking did it, dude,” she whispered. Lee squeezed her tighter in response. 

They went out for drinks after to celebrate. Not wanting anything too crazy to happen, Lee stuck with his no alcohol rule, though he did indulge in a very fancy raspberry lemonade. Once everyone had finished their drinks and were ready for bed, they headed back to the hotel. 

All of the excitement combined with knowing he didn’t have to train the next day, Lee plopped onto his bed exhausted. He rolled over to plug his phone into its charger, and realized that a bouquet of flowers were sitting on the hotel desk. He had been so tired when he walked in that he hadn’t even noticed.

He pushed himself out of the bed with a groan and slowly made his way over to the floral arrangement. It was a beautiful mix of soft orange geraniums and sunflowers. Lee took a moment to smell them, smiling at their simple beauty. He picked up the small card from the bouquet, curious as to who had sent them.

“Lee,

Good luck on your first competition. I know you will do an amazing job. Sorry I can’t be there with you, but please know that I am thinking of you always and am very proud of you.

Gaara”

Lee smiled and wiped his eyes. Gaara was so kind and thoughtful. Lee was so lucky. He felt cared for, even when they were thousands of miles apart. Lee grabbed his phone from its charger, briefly wondering if the way he unplugged it then plugged it back in was doing it any harm. He took a picture of himself with his medal and the bouquet, sending it to Gaara. He knew he wouldn’t see it for a few hours, and that was okay. Regardless of how far apart they were, Gaara had made it obvious that he cared deeply about Lee. He just needed to trust that.


	10. Checking In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang heads to a new city and Lee gets caught up on his work. Tenten participates in a women's only competition!

“Okay, love. I promise that I will text you when I land. I know you will be asleep, so please put your phone on silent so that it does not wake you up.”

“Lee, I don’t mind being woken up if it’s you.”

Lee laughed lightly, rubbing his tired eyes. He knew that if it wasn’t so early in the morning, he would be tearing up. He had been gone for a month and still wasn’t used to being away from Gaara. Even though the hotel he had stayed at was nothing like home, leaving a place he was comfortable with hurt and reminded him of when he had to leave Gaara.

“You know I miss you, right? I miss you every day,” Gaara said, the sounds of his office filling the background.

Lee sighed. “I know. I miss you, too. Thank you for being so patient and for supporting me with this.” Gaara had quickly grown tired of hearing apologies from Lee every time they were on the phone and had told him that instead of apologizing, he should express gratitude. This was something Lee had learned in therapy, but had never seemed to be able to get down. 

“Of course, Lee. Don’t misunderstand, I’m happy you’re there. It’s just that my enjoyment of the silence at home didn’t last long.” Gaara laughed quietly. He paused for a moment. “Lee, can I ask you something?”

Lee laid back onto his bed, the soft mattress too good for his tired body to resist. “Of course.”

“Are you happy?”

“What?” Lee asked, stifling a yawn.

“Are you happy? Because I know you love to skate, and I’m really proud of you. And I know you’ve had a lot of success. You’ve won every competition so far. But, are you happy? Besides missing me, are you doing okay mentally?”

Lee frowned and thought for a moment. His anxiety was how it usually was, in fact it had lessened some since he had first left. Most of the time he was too busy skating to worry about much else, and other times he was too tired. He felt a bit distant from Gaara, but that was to be expected. 

He stood and stretched, grabbing his packed luggage. “I am happy. Being here has brought different challenges and it gets hard to focus on the big picture sometimes, but I do not regret coming. I am excited to see you again, but I know that being out here was worth the temporary distance.”

“That’s good. I’m glad. I think it was worth it, too.” Lee could tell Gaara was smiling.

“What about you, sweetheart? Are you happy?”

“I would say so, yes. Though it does get lonely around here sometimes, I have spent a lot of time with Kankuro and Temari. I’ve also been able to get the garden going, as you know. That’s been a lot of fun. And by the time you come back, we’ll be able to enjoy it together,” Gaara said. 

As Lee was about to respond, he heard a knock on Gaara’s door. “Do you need to go?”

“Oh, yes.” He heard Gaara whispering in the background. “Sorry, Lee, I have to take care of something. Let me know when you land, okay? I love you and I’m glad you’re doing well.”

Lee smiled sadly. “I will do that. I love you, too, Gaara. Please keep yourself safe.”

They said goodbye and ended the call. Lee pulled his phone down, staring at the black screen. 

Being in a long distance relationship had been hard on Lee. Though they would only be apart for a few months, it was hard for him to feel as connected to Gaara as he normally did. He relied heavily on physical closeness for comfort, and being gone meant there was none of that. He hugged Tenten a lot which helped, but it was no replacement for the comforting weight of Gaara’s hand in his or the gentle kisses they shared at the end of a long day.

Luckily, though, Lee had been able to see the positives in being so far away. They had been able to communicate even better than before, being more explicit and straight forward with their questions and feelings. Without being able to discuss things in person, intentions could get wildly skewed. That meant they needed to be clearer when talking to one another and checking up more often. Lee hoped this would become a regular practice. He loved talking to Gaara, and the more concise their communication was, the less overthinking Lee did.

Finally deciding it was time to leave his hotel room, Lee stepped to his small, hotel desk, pocketing his phone and grabbing the rest of his things. He looked at the place where the bouquet Gaara had sent him sat a few weeks prior. It had died already, but Lee had managed to have Tenten help him press a few of the flowers to keep in his notebook. After ensuring he had everything, he stepped out of his hotel room for the last time. He was glad that they stayed in the same room for the whole month. Even though the competitions were in other cities, they just commuted back and forth. It made things easier to have a central location he could unwind in, especially seeing as he relied heavily on routine. He was just hoping he would settle into the next hotel just as well as he did this one.

He got down to the lobby and waited, setting his luggage down and tapping his toes absentmindedly. After a few minutes, a groggy Tenten popped into view, practically dragging her suitcase behind her.

“Good morning, Tenten,” Lee said gently, not wanting to make her mad.

“Hm,” she replied, setting her luggage down next to Lee’s. Once her arms were free, she leaned into Lee, hugging him gently. Lee smiled and patted her back soothingly. One of the greatest things about the trip was how much time he had been able to spend with Tenten. Over the past few years, he hadn’t spent more than two weeks at a time with her. She was always away either on her skating trips or working on different projects for various sponsors. He had missed her so much and was glad to finally get to spend some quality time with her. 

Sometimes he had a hard time balancing out all of his love for everyone. There were so many people he cared about in so many different circles of his life, and it was hard for Lee to feel like he was giving all of them a fair and equal amount of attention, especially his family. He was glad to have someone like Gaara who not only understood his love for them, but also helped and encouraged Lee to make them a priority, just as Lee did for him and his family.

Tenten pulled back as Tsunade, and a very chipper Naruto, stepped into view. Tsunade walked by silently with a death grip on her travel mug. Lee and Tenten followed behind, making no attempt at having a conversation. They had learned very early on that trying to talk to Tsunade that early in the morning was just asking to be murdered. Even Naruto somehow managed to keep his mouth shut. At least when talking to her.

“Sooo,” Naruto said, falling behind to walk next to Lee, “did you talk to your boo this morning?”

Lee sighed inwardly. Naruto had found out about Gaara not long after they had started skating together. He had seen the ring hanging around Lee’s neck and pestered him all day until he told him why he had it. Lee had begrudgingly told him about Gaara and how he was planning on proposing soon, as well as the entire story of how they had met. Naruto had then asked to see a picture, which Lee reluctantly agreed to.

“Wow,” Naruto had said, whistling lowly. “He’s kinda hot, don’tcha think? Course, I couldn’t date a redhead. You know what they say about redheads.”

Lee hadn’t been having a great day and it showed. His normally forgiving attitude had all but disappeared. “Yes, I obviously think he is hot, seeing as I am dating him. And it does not matter if you would date him or not, since he is taken.” He had then slammed his foot onto his skateboard, popping it up much harder than necessary, and walked away. Tenten, who had been there for the entire conversation, had slugged Naruto in the shoulder, bruising it and causing him to complain for the rest of the week. Despite the additional whining, it had been worth it to see Naruto get what he had coming to him.

“Yes, I spoke with him on the phone. Why do you ask?”

“I just wanted to make sure,” Naruto said as they placed their luggage into the hotel’s shuttle. “The place we’re going to doesn’t have the greatest reception. You might only be able to talk to him using the internet for a while.”

“Oh. Really?” Lee asked, doing his best not to panic.

“Yeah,” Naruto said, placing his hands behind his head and walking around to the front of the car. “I just wanted to give you a heads up before we left.”

Lee looked at the ground. “Thank you.”

Tenten stepped up to him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay, Lee. Most of the places we’ve been to this past month have had wifi, so I’m sure you’ll be able to talk to him just as much as before.”

Lee nodded and got into the small bus. He hoped she was right. 

As they drove to the airport, Lee thought back on the month. It had really been an incredible journey. Besides winning four skating competitions, he had also been able to train a lot, making up for the technique he had lost at home since he hadn’t been able to skate as much outside of teaching kids. He and Tenten had also been able to explore all of the cities they had competed in, trying new foods, visiting museums and historic sites, and shopping. Lee had even gotten Gaara three new magnets.

“Aren’t you gonna run out of room on your fridge?” Tenten had asked, laughing when Lee had bought yet another one.

“I will just have to buy another fridge!” Lee joked as he paid. 

Lee smiled as he watched the city roll away from them. He had loved his time in this country and was sad to see it go. But leaving one meant he was that much closer to going home. 

Once they had gotten through security and were waiting to board their flight, Lee pulled out his phone to text Gaara.

Lee

“Naruto said that the reception in the next country might not be the best. I will message you as soon as I have internet. About to board. Love you lots.”

He put his phone away and checked his ticket while he waited for Gaara to answer. He looked at the seating and frowned.

“Tenten, are we not sitting near each other?”

Tenten looked at her own ticket while she yawned. She leaned into Lee’s space, looking at his ticket. “I guess not.”

Lee sighed, dropping his chin into his hand. Luckily this flight wasn’t nearly as long as the last, but Lee still didn’t feel great about sitting by himself. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much he could do about it. 

A few minutes before they were scheduled to board, Lee heard his phone go off. He smiled and pulled it out, glancing briefly at his home screen which had turned into a picture of Gaara half asleep. He swiped open his notification.

Gaara

“Thank you for letting me know, Lee. Looks like we just have bad luck. Don’t worry about it too much, we’ll still be able to talk. Can we video chat soon, please?”

Lee

“Of course, my love. I am about to board. Sleep well tonight. I love you so much.”

Lee swallowed, flipping his phone onto airplane mode as they got in line to get on the plane. After finding his seat, stuck in between a stern looking businessman and an old lady, he sat down, popping in ear phones. He hoped that he would be able to sleep most of the flight, especially seeing as it would only be two hours. The man next to him closed the window he had been attempting to look out of, so he closed his eyes and leaned his head against the seat. Minutes later they took off, his heart dropping into the pit of his stomach as they ascended once again. Lee hoped Tenten was okay.

After a surprisingly smooth and quick trip, they touched down in yet another place that was unfamiliar to Lee. He yawned and stretched as best as he could without punching the people sitting next to him. Now that he was better rested, he was feeling slightly more optimistic than he had been that morning. He was starting to feel excited to be somewhere new, especially knowing that Tenten was there with him. He just hoped that he would be as successful in this country as he was in the last. 

After a quick car ride, all four skaters arrived to their new hotel. Lee looked up and down at the tall, white, glimmering building, his eyes widening as he took in its grandeur.

“You guys have done a fucking good job,” Tsunade said, crossing her arms and smirking up at the tall building. “I pulled a few strings to get you into a nicer place. Don’t fuck anything up, though. Especially you, Naruto.”

“Hey! I didn’t do anything at the last place, grandma!” Naruto said, grunting slightly as he plopped her luggage down onto the sidewalk. Tsunade pinched his cheek again, though much more playfully this time. The alcohol offered on the plane must have raised her spirits. 

“Shut the fuck up, Naruto. I’m just messing with you. Call me grandma one more time, though, and you’ll be sleeping on the street.”

Naruto walked into the lobby without them, carrying as much luggage as he could and grumbling the whole way.

“Does he really want to be a professional skater someday?” Tenten asked, quirking her head.

Tsunade sighed. “I’m not really sure what he wants to do, to be honest. The kid’s had a hard life. I was hoping that getting him away from home would help get his ass in gear. He seems a lot happier, at least.”

They all nodded, unsure of what else to say.

“Well, kids, take the rest of the day off. Explore, sleep, rob a bank, do whatever. We start training tomorrow afternoon. Competition this Sunday as usual. Each of your rooms are under your names so you can check in whenever.”

Tenten and Lee thanked her, then stepped into the hotel. After checking in, and feeling extremely out of place amongst the lush carpets and marble staircases, they began heading toward their rooms. Luckily, they were placed right next to each other. Lee stepped into his own room, then heard Tenten whoop in excitement next door.

He propped his suitcase next to the wall, then looked around in amazement. A plush king bed was shoved against the wall, covered in silky sheets and deep green comforters. Even with the size of the bed, the room was still massive. A plush robe hung on the bathroom door, a mini bar with free drinks and snacks sat under the desk, and at the end of the room a small sliding glass door led out to a balcony overlooking the huge river next to their hotel. Lee opened the bathroom door making the bathrobe swing gently. His mouth dropped open in shock. Compared to the last hotel, this bathtub was a swimming pool! He looked inside and, just as he expected, small jets lined the edges. Lee was definitely going to take advantage of that after training.

“Lee, come out here!” he heard Tenten yell somewhere toward the back of his room. He stepped through the sliding glass door and onto the balcony. He looked out at the city they had arrived in, astounded by the scenery. Tenten stood on the balcony next to his, leaning over slightly and grinning. 

“Hey, neighbor,” she said, fluttering her fingers at him.

“Hello!” Lee said, laughing brightly. He looked over at her balcony questioningly. “I think I could make it over to you pretty easily if I jumped.”

Tenten looked down at the ground from where they were on the third story. “Lee, if you do that, I will kill you. If the fall doesn’t kill you first.”

“Tenten, I am just joking! If you did not kill me for it, Gaara would fly out and do it himself.”

They laughed together easily. Luckily, mentioning Gaara no longer made Lee tear up, only smile. Tenten had been very careful the first few weeks, not wanting to make Lee more upset than he already had been, but they both found that it made things easier when they did talk about him rather than avoiding the topic as if it were taboo.

Tenten leaned back onto the balcony, resting her chin in her hand. “What are you going to do the rest of the day, Lee?”

“I think that I am going to get some work done. I need to speak with my program replacements later tonight to make sure everything is going alright as well as to check in on the children’s progress. What are you planning on doing?”

“There’s a bakery nearby I want to check out. Hinata said they’re pretty famous for some of their pastries. Do you want me to bring you anything?”

“That sounds great, thank you! Are you going to be okay going by yourself?” Lee asked, slightly concerned.

Tenten snorted. “Lee, before you came I traveled everywhere by myself. I’ll be just fine. Have you checked the service here yet?”

“No, I have not. I have not gotten any messages, though, so I think that Naruto was right.” Lee sighed. “Please let me know when you have made it to the bakery. If they have a cafe they should also have wifi. Have lots of fun and take some pictures that we can send to Gaara!”

“Lee, we’ve already sent him so many pictures,” Tenten groaned, standing up and stepping back toward her door.

“I know, but this is something new! If you forget, it is alright. Have fun, Tenten, I love you!”

“Love you, too, Lee,” she replied, blowing him a kiss. Lee grinned, then stepped back into his hotel room, sighing in contentment. He was excited to try the bed, hoping that it was similar to the one he had back at home. He had been having a hard time sleeping ever since he had left. He knew that it would probably last until he was able to sleep with Gaara again, but he hoped that a more comfortable bed would replicate the comfort, at least a little bit. But before he could try it out, he had work he needed to do. 

He had been fairly successful in completing all of the tasks he normally would at work and kept in contact with his boss often. They had even said that, if needed, there was potential for Lee to work remotely more often, even when he was home. Lee was glad he was dependable, but couldn’t help but feel that his enthusiasm at the office wasn’t missed.

After setting out a few of his things, he slipped into more comfortable clothes, then opened his laptop and sat at the hotel desk, which was conveniently much larger than the last one. He began to work on a few of his reports, preparing them for their update with his program directors later that night. Because of the time difference, he wouldn’t be able to video chat with them until eleven. But, that meant that he would have some time to get caught up, maybe take a nap, then join Tenten for dinner later that night. With a full to-do list, Lee cracked his neck and got to work.

Hours later, after a thorough check on his reports, a short nap, and a nice dinner with Tenten, Lee was back in his hotel and ready for another few hours of working. Luckily, it involved talking to a few of his favorite coworkers and his parents, which meant that it wouldn’t feel too much like work. He had also promised Tenten that they would do some sight seeing the next morning, so there was definitely something to look forward to. He smiled and pulled up his video chat application, waiting for the first person to call. Only seconds later, a name appeared.

ABURAME SHINO

He smiled brightly, then accepted the call request. Soon after, a very grainy Shino appeared, sitting in his large turtleneck and darkly shaded glasses.

“Shino! Hello! How are you?!” Lee asked, waving wildly at the camera. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed his coworkers.

“Lee. I am well. I trust that you are, also?”

Lee grinned at Shino’s usual straightforward mannerisms. He tended to work well with some of the rowdier kids, as his firmness and serious tone gave them something stable to fall back on. He ended up being one of the best social workers in the field. 

“I am! It is so great to see you, though!” Somewhere behind his covered face, Lee could see the beginnings of a smile. “Thank you so much for helping me out! I hope that things have gone alright.”

“Hm. Everything seems to be fine. The children are quite fascinated with my extensive knowledge in nature. I am quite surprised that you haven’t asked me to help you before.”

“Er, why?”

“Why? Because I grew up around this environment. I’m sure that I went on more nature hikes as a six year old than you have your entire life. Not to say that you don’t do an adequate job, but I am capable of furthering this program with my knowledge.”

Lee clapped his hands together excitedly. “Shino, I had no idea! That is truly spectacular. I am so glad I passed this program onto you, then! I will definitely collaborate more with you in the future, I am so sorry to have missed out on that opportunity!”

Shino adjusted his glasses. “It’s alright. Most people tend to forget I exist most of the time.” Before Lee could protest, Shino continued. “There are specific children you need more information on, correct? Please tell me who they are.”

Lee turned to his reports and began taking notes on each child Shino had been working with. He stopped to ask about certain kids, making sure that the program was lining up well with their specific needs. After writing out details for each of them and making notes to build upon their current plans, Lee thanked Shino and hung up so he could continue his other work. After finishing up his notes, he moved onto the next call.

He continued throughout the next few hours, following up with his coworkers and catching up a bit on life. Choji had managed to help the kids he worked with master baking cookies, Sai had seemed satisfied with the progress of his art students, and Sakura had assured him that the children she was watching over were doing enough push ups. After catching up a bit with his favorite coworker, he said goodbye and finished his work notes for that night. He would continue working on future plans for the kids the next day, but for now he needed to get some sleep. He only had one more video chat for the night, which was with his dads. 

He hadn’t talked with them as much as he would have liked. Luckily they were understanding, knowing how much he had on his plate and how dedicated he was to his training. But he really wanted to talk to them now to check in on them, the skate program, and Gaara. They had been taking him to brunch every Saturday to make sure he was doing okay. When they had told Lee this, he started crying. He was really grateful to have such wonderful support in all areas of his life. It was nice to know that even though he wasn’t able to check on Gaara himself, there was still someone doing it.

After quickly scribbling a few things in his work notebook, Lee clicked on Gai’s contact and listened to the beeping as he waited for them to pick up. A few seconds later, he was greeted with the view of Gai’s nostrils, his eyes, and only half of his forehead.

“Lee?!” he yelled, his voice crackling as Lee’s computer speakers struggled to process the loud sound.

Lee laughed. “Gai, I cannot see you!”

“Lee? Are you there? Kakashi, come help me!”

Lee heard Kakashi grumble in the background. A few seconds later, Gai’s face disappeared from view and Kakashi’s tired one popped up. 

“Oh, hey, kiddo. How’s it going?”

“Rival, that’s unfair, I wanted to talk to Lee first!” Gai yelled before Lee could respond. Knowing this would go on for a few more minutes, Lee chose to remain quiet and sit patiently.

Once they had managed to set up the phone in a way they could both talk to Lee, he began to talk.

“Hello! I am sorry it has been so long since we have spoken. How are you?”

“Lee! We are doing just fine. You know how we are. Our youth still runs strong!”

The way Kakashi had leaned his head on his hand in a defeated manner suggested otherwise. 

“That is so great! Kakashi, how are you?”

“I’m just fine. I have Gai with me. How are you doing, Lee?” Kakashi responded, reaching over to grab Gai’s hand. The gesture made Lee smile.

“I am doing great! We just landed this morning. I have been working for the last few hours and Tenten went to a famous bakery this morning, then we were able to eat dinner together. I am feeling much better than I was a month ago!”

“That’s good to hear, son!” Gai said, beaming at the camera. 

“Have you been sleeping alright?” Kakashi asked. Both he and Lee had problems with sleeping which was why Kakashi had suggested that he get a weighted blanket in the first place. He knew that sleeping without it could potentially make sleep harder for Lee.

“Yes, it has not been too bad. The hotel we were in before had a nice bed, but this one is even nicer.” Lee held the laptop up so that the bed could be seen through the camera.

“Woah, nic,” Kakashi said, whistling lowly. “We should try that one out, Gai. It might be able to handle--”

“Um, Lee, do you want to hear about Gaara?” Gai asked, quickly changing the subject as his face turned red.

“Oh, yes! Please tell me everything! We talk quite a bit, but I worry that he is not telling me everything at times.”

Gai nodded understandingly. “He seems to be doing just fine, for the most part. Kakashi and I have taken him to brunch every weekend since you’ve left.”

“He seemed kinda uncomfortable at first,” Kakashi piped in, “but he seems to have calmed down. Sometimes we get too caught up in arguing to really notice he’s there.”

Lee laughed. “He did mention that! He said it was very entertaining. Thank you for keeping an eye on him. I know he has his family and coworkers, but I still worry, you know?”

“That’s understandable, Lee. You care about him a lot. But try not to worry too much, okay? Gaara’s an adult, he can take care of himself for the most part. And he still has you, even though you’re not physically here.” Kakashi smiled reassuringly.

Lee sighed. “I know you are right. I am sure everything is okay. I just wish that I was there to make sure.”

“It’s okay, Lee. We’re here to do it in the meantime, and so are Neji and his siblings. Everything is okay. Now, tell us more about your competitions!” Gai said, his grin wide.

Feeling a little better, Lee dove into describing all of his competitions, the feeling of skating down the ramps while people cheered, the thrill of his name being called. They listened intently, smiling and nodding as he talked. Gai would interrupt every once in a while to ask a question and Kakashi would tell a story from his skating days when Lee’s stories would jog his memory. 

After Lee had started yawning, they said goodbye and hung up. Lee felt warm inside after being able to see so many of his favorite people. He was still getting used to maintaining relationships from a distance, but he was glad to learn that it all felt pretty much the same.

Another few days of hard training, mixed with touring their new area, brought yet another skating competition. This one was slightly different, as only Tenten would be competing.

“It’s a women's only event,” Tsunade had explained after watching Lee pout. “They’re trying to promote a larger interest for women in skating.”

Lee sighed. “I understand.”

Wanting to be supportive of Tenten, he had brought a bouquet of flowers. Instead of standing behind the ramp and waiting for his turn, he sat in the audience, eager to see Tenten skate. He watched as the crowd cheered as she stepped up to the top of the ramp, buckling the helmet under her chin in preparation. After jumping up and down a few times and shaking her arms out, she placed her board on the ledge and descended. 

She skated with her usual grace, her board and her body connecting in ways that weren’t typical of a normal skater. Tears filled Lee’s eyes as they always did when he watched Tenten. It reminded him of their childhood, how Tenten had convinced Lee to start skating and how she would always cheer him up when he skinned his knee. Lee smiled at the memory as he watched her descend down the ramp once again. 

His smile quickly turned to a frown. As she neared the bottom, her board slipped out from under her. She fell backward, hitting the ramp and rolling slightly. The board shot out from underneath her, rolling up the opposite side of the ramp. Lee’s ears started ringing as he got out of his seat and ran down to where she was. After a few minutes of trying to get through security, Lee made it to where Tenten was sitting behind the ramp with Tsunade consoling her.

“Tenten! Are you alright?!” he yelled, holding the flowers in his hand.

“I’m fine, Lee. You worry too much. The only thing that’s bruised is my ego.” Tears began to well up in her eyes. “It’s fucking bullshit. I came all the way out here to skate and I fucked up.”

“Hey, kid, this is the first time this has happened. You need to cut yourself a break. Everyone falls from time to time. There’s always next week, as well as several months of competitions ahead,” Tsunade said, doing her best to reassure Tenten.

Ignoring her, Tenten stood with a huff, pushing past Tsunade and walking away. Lee heard Tsunade sigh behind him. “Well, we’re leaving, I guess,” she said, walking past Lee. Lee’s breathing quickened as he followed behind them. 

Tenten had a lot of anger issues when they were growing up. She was known to have a lot of outbursts, especially when something didn’t go the way she wanted them to. Lee knew it was because of her childhood and never blamed her for it, but it made things a lot more stressful at times. He had thought that she had mostly moved past it, but it seemed like some of it still remained. 

The ride back to the hotel was tense. Lee sat with his hands tightly gripping his knees. Tsunade sat on her phone while Tenten crossed her arms and stared out the window. Once back at the hotel, Tenten stormed off in the direction of her room without saying goodnight. Lee sighed and looked at Tsunade.

“What should we do?”

Tsunade shrugged and stretched her arms over her head. “Not much we can do, really. We need to just let her get over it. I’m sure she’ll come around. Maybe I’ll try to talk to her later. In the meantime, the hotel bar is calling my name.”

Lee sighed again and started to head to his room. He remembered how Tenten always needed space after an outburst growing up and decided to call it a night. If she needed him, he was sure that she would let him know. Besides, he had planned to video chat with Gaara before going to bed.

After getting into his pajamas, Lee pulled open his laptop and called Gaara. His heart fluttered as he watched Gaara’s contact picture pop up. After only one ring, Gaara answered.

“Hello, love! You look so gorgeous tonight. I miss you!”

Lee heard Gaara’s grainy laugh through his laptop speaker. “Hi, Lee. You don’t look too bad yourself. How was your day?”

“Er, it was fine. The women’s competition was tonight, but--”

A loud banging on the door interrupted Lee. 

“Is someone at the door?” Gaara asked, his voice slightly concerned. As he asked that, Lee heard the beep and click signaling that his room had been unlocked and that someone was coming inside.

“Fucking bullshit…” he heard Tenten mutter as she stepped through the door.

“Tenten! Er, how did you get in here?”

“I took one of your keys, but that doesn’t matter right now. I’m leaving. Come help me pack my stuff.”

Lee’s heart dropped into his stomach. “Tenten, you cannot just leave! I know you are frustrated with what happened, but you have been so successful! It would--”

“Lee, shut up. I’m leaving. You can’t stop me.”

“Uh, Tenten?” Lee heard Gaara say. 

Tenten scrubbed her eyes with her hands. “Gaara heard all of that? That’s just great.”

She plopped herself in front of Lee’s computer. “Hey, Gaara. Sorry you had to hear all of that. I’m just having a mental breakdown because I fucked up my competition. How are you?”

Gaara paused. “Tell me what happened.”

“My pleasure.”

Tenten launched into a long rant about everything that had happened, how she had a terrible headache, how the lights were too bright, and finally how she had managed to fall off of her board. Tears filled her eyes as she talked to Gaara, sniffles interrupting each word.

“And the worst part is that I had such a great streak going. I haven’t lost a competition in months. And I went and messed everything up by falling on my ass.” She began to cry harder.

Gaara was silent for a few moments, allowing her to collect herself. “Tenten, I’m sorry that happened. You work hard for what you do and it sucks when it doesn’t work out right.”

“It does! I’m just so frustrated. I don’t want to be here anymore.”

“But, don’t you want a chance to fix things? If you leave, that will be it. You won’t be able to try again.” Gaara spoke calmly and bluntly. Lee sat on the bed exhausted, sad that his time with Gaara was interrupted, but happy that Tenten was calming down. He did his best to slow his own beating heart.

Tenten sniffed. “I guess when you put it that way.” She put her face in her hands. “Gaara you’re right. I’m so stupid.”

“You aren’t stupid, Tenten. Just very… passionate.”

Tenten laughed. “You sound just like Gai.”

Gaara laughed with her. “I have spent quite a bit of time with them this past month.”

“I miss you, Gaara.” Tenten sighed, looking back to Lee who was sitting anxiously on the bed. “I suppose I should give you back to Lee now.”

“I miss you, too, Ten. Try not to be too hard on yourself, okay?”

“Okay. Bye, Gaara.”

“Goodbye, Tenten. I love you.”

She smiled sadly. “I love you, too.”

Tenten stood from the chair, her hands shaking slightly. Lee smiled at her sympathetically, then pulled her in for a tight hug. 

“Sorry, Lee,” she whispered, pulling him in closer. He shook his head in response.

She pulled back and patted him on the chest lovingly. “I’m heading to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Okay. Goodnight, Tenten.” He glanced at the flowers he had bought her which now sat on his desk. “Oh, wait! These are for you.”

He handed her the bouquet and she offered him a watery smile. “Thanks, Lee.”

After another tight hug, Tenten slipped out the door. Lee sat back down in front of the computer and smiled tiredly at Gaara.

“Are you okay?” Gaara asked, picking a thread from the sleeve of his sweater.

“Yeah, I am alright. It just makes me worry. What does she do when something like this happens and I am not here? What does she do when she does not have you to calm her down?”

“She still talks to us, Lee. She messages us or calls us. And I’m sure she has ways of coping. I know you’re worried about her, but try not to worry too much. She has you right now and in the future I’m sure she’ll talk to one of us.”

“I know,” Lee said, leaning his head in his hand. “It just makes me feel bad, you know? I wish I was able to support her more.”

“I love you for wanting to help her as much as possible. But you have to remember that this was her choice, Lee. It’s not your fault you aren’t there with her.”

Lee smiled. “You are right. You always are. I am so lucky to have you.”

Gaara smiled back. “And I’m lucky to have you.”

They talked for a few hours, somehow never running out of things to say. When Gaara finally had to leave for work, Lee kissed the webcam, letting him know that he loved him and that they would talk again soon. 

Hanging up was always the hardest for Lee. He would close his laptop and return to the silence of his room, losing the source of comfort and happiness he had while on the call. After sitting and thinking for a few minutes, Lee pushed back his chair, shut the lights off, then crawled into bed.

They were only a month in, and this trip was already helping him learn more about the people he loved, and himself. He was excited, and scared, to see what the next three months would bring.


	11. Making it Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee learns more about adapting his relationship to match the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving to my American babes! I am grateful for all of you <3

By the end of the week, Lee had come to terms with something. Through talking with Gaara and being away from him, he realized that he had created a very specific view of how a relationship worked. Because he had boxed himself into the “ideal relationship,” he had made long distance harder for himself. He had tried so hard to force the relationship they already had into what he wanted it to be without trying to adjust anything.

A lot of his ideal consisted of quality time, snuggles, and sleeping in the same bed. What he hadn’t realized, was that he and Gaara could both make fun memories together without being in the same room. Intimacy had nothing to do with proximity and everything to do with effort. So, he decided to take Gaara on a date.

“A date?” Gaara asked over the phone. 

Lee nodded and smiled even though Gaara couldn’t see him. “Yes! I will send you some money for some ice cream and a puzzle. I will also buy a puzzle, and we can video chat, eat our ice cream, and work on our puzzles together! I think it sounds very fun! Of course, if you do not want to, that is alright.”

“No, Lee, that sounds great. I think it would be a lot of fun. I miss our date nights.”

A trickle of guilt began to make its way into Lee’s head, but he quickly brushed it aside. “Excellent! I am so excited! If we did it Friday, I would have time in the morning for it, that way you could do it after work. Does that sound okay?”

Gaara paused for a moment to think. “Sure, that would work. Are you sure you really want to eat ice cream that early in the day, though?”

“Gaara, ice cream does not have a schedule,” Lee said seriously. Gaara began laughing and Lee quickly joined him.

“Alright, well, that sounds good to me. I miss you, Lee. I’ll talk to you later?”

“Okay. I love you, sweetheart.”

“I love you, too.”

Lee hung up the phone. The distance was becoming slightly more comfortable for him. He still missed being able to be physically close to Gaara, but more than anything, he was grateful that he could still talk with him and get comfort from his rational way of thinking and his deep, steady voice. 

Knowing that Gaara was in bed, and that he had a few hours before he needed to begin training, Lee got to work on his next long distance, romantic gesture. Gaara had mentioned how Lee’s hoodie had started to smell less and less like him. Lee knew he had been holding it as he went to sleep, so he wanted to send him another one. The international shipping was going to cost a pretty penny, but it was worth it if it meant that it helped Gaara sleep. 

Lee stepped outside of his hotel room and knocked on Tenten’s door.

“Tenten! Are you awake?” he called, bouncing on the tips of his toes.

A few moments later, Tenten opened the door, her hair in a messy ponytail and the white hotel robe around her shoulders. 

“Hey, Lee. I was just about to order some breakfast. Want anything?”

“Oh, sure! Thank you! I was also hoping that you would want to join me on a little adventure today.”

Tenten stepped back, allowing Lee inside. “Oh? What’s the adventure?”

“I am going to send Gaara a package, so I just need to go and find a few things to add. I am already planning on sending him a hoodie, but I wanted to also find him a postcard and something from around here. I worry that I have not put in enough effort while I have been away.”

Tenten flopped back onto her bed, pulling a room service card toward her. “I’m sure you’re doing just fine, Lee. Long distance relationships are hard.”

“You are right. I think I may have found a better rhythm, though. I was so concerned with the aspects of a relationship that I was missing, I failed to realize the ones I would be able to take advantage of, such as writing letters or sending packages.”

Tenten grabbed the phone off of her nightstand. “Well, I’m glad you figured it out.”

Lee sat on the edge of her bed as she began to order. Minutes later, she hung up and was flicking through the channels on the TV.

Lee scooted up on the bed, sitting next to Tenten. “Do you ever get sick of this?”

“Sick of what?”

“Traveling. Staying in hotels. Not being able to cook your own food.” Lee looked over at her.

“Well, I guess it gets old sometimes. This trip is a bit crazier than my other ones. Most of the time I stay in one country and get to rent an apartment for a few months. That makes things easier. This trip feels a lot more like home since you’re here, though.” She met his eyes and smiled.

“I am so glad. I have really enjoyed being here with you,” Lee said, returning her smile.

She turned back to the TV and continued to watch, her head resting on Lee’s shoulder. After half an episode of a terrible sitcom, their food arrived. They ate in silence, the sound of the show filling the elegantly decorated hotel room. Once finished, Lee went back to his room to get dressed for the day. Knowing he would need to train as soon as they were done with their shopping, he wore the outfit he wanted to skate in. After he was ready, he grabbed Tenten and they headed out to the cobblestone streets of the old city they were staying in. 

They walked a few blocks to the souvenir shop that Lee had seen a few days previous. He stepped in, glancing around at all of the various knick knacks until he found the display of postcards he had been searching for. Not knowing which to pick, he grabbed multiple. He could decide which one to send Gaara later, if he didn’t just send them all. Tenten laughed at his indecision, walking in between shelves to pick something out for Neji. After settling on a mug with the city’s name on it, they stepped up to the front counter to pay. 

Stepping back out to the streets with their purchases, they decided to stop at a coffee shop before going back to the hotel. They stepped inside, the smell of coffee and bread filling the air. Tenten decided on an iced black coffee. Lee chose a blended caramel coffee. Tenten always made fun of him for not being able to drink coffee without anything added. It just tasted too strong for him.

They sat for a few minutes in the cafe, enjoying their drinks.

“Lee, how are you going to get the package to Gaara?”

“Well, I was able to stop at a convenience store for some supplies last night. All I need to do is write Gaara a note, then the front desk of the hotel actually takes care of the shipment. I would just need to bring it to them, pay for the label, then it will be on its way to him!” Lee said, pausing to take a drink.

“That’s awesome! Do you know how long it will take to get there?” Tenten asked, absentmindedly tracing the condensation on the cup with her finger.

“I am unsure! Hopefully not too long. We will have to see.”

Tenten nodded, then stood. “Well, we should get you back. The sooner you get the package together, the sooner it will arrive.”

Lee jumped up, punching his fist into his hand. “You are right! I need to get this to Gaara! Let’s go!”

Lee grabbed both of their bags and drinks and took off out the door. Tenten caught up seconds later, grabbing her stuff out of Lee’s hands.

“Lee, I didn’t mean take off like a maniac out of the shop.”

“Sorry, Tenten,” Lee replied with a laugh. “I just got so excited!”

Tenten looked down at the coffee in Lee’s hand with her brow scrunched. “You probably shouldn’t have any more caffeine.”

Lee looked at her innocently, taking another drink. “I beg to differ.”

Tenten shoved Lee as he laughed. They made their way back to the hotel, joking and bumping into each other the entire way.

Once back in his room, Lee set his things down and checked his phone. He knew there would be no notifications, but he checked anyway, not wanting to miss anything Gaara might have sent. He sat for a moment, enjoying the picture of Gaara laughing that he had set as his background picture. Checking the time, he realized that he had longer than he thought he would before training. Lee pulled out a pen and the post cards and started to write. If he hurried he would be able to get the package shipped before he had to leave. He licked the nib of his pen and began to furiously scribble.

“Gaara! My love!

How are you? I miss you so much. I know that you said that the hoodie you currently have is no longer doing the trick, so I wanted to send this one! I have also added some candy from here. I tried some the other day, not yours of course, and I found them to be quite delicious! Please let me know if you like them!”

Lee continued to write, his words flowing easily onto the paper. He was glad he decided to grab multiple postcards. His love for Gaara couldn’t be contained on just one. As he neared the end of his final postcard, he reminded Gaara how much he loved and missed him. He numbered all of the cards by order, then slid them into the package next to the soft, black hoodie. He tucked the candy inside, making sure the jacket would keep it protected. It had a long journey.

He sealed the packaging, then placed a light kiss on it, hoping that Gaara would be able to feel his love radiating from it. He made sure he had all his things, then walked down to the hotel lobby. He would have just enough time to send the package before it was time to train again. 

He stepped up to the desk, smiling brightly. He plopped the package down on the counter, patting it twice.

“Hello! I need to send this package, please!”

The lady behind the counter gave him a slightly questionable look, then silently slid it closer to her. She punched the information for the delivery into her computer, then gave Lee the total. He winced. 

“Is there a problem?” she asked, quirking her brow

“O-Of course not! It was just a bit more than I was expecting. But it is no problem!” He slid his card across the desk, reasoning that Gaara was worth it. He also reminded himself that along with his regular salary, he was earning a lot of money from his skating competitions. He was just glad that he didn’t share a bank account with Gaara. He would have felt bad about the expense, especially seeing as it was for him. 

After assuring that his package was put away safely, he turned back toward the lobby to see an expectant Tenten standing across from him. She held out a hand for a high five as he walked up.

“The package has been sent!” Lee said, slapping her hand with his.

“Awesome! He’s gonna be so excited,” Tenten said with a grin.

“I really hope so.”

Not long after, Tsunade came out, followed by Naruto. Lee jumped up and down, anxiety and caffeine coursing through his veins. He was ready to skate.

Lee trained as hard as he could that week. Now that he was fully adjusted to the schedule, and being away from Gaara, he was able to really focus, putting all of his energy into either skating or working on his programs. He talked to Gaara whenever he could, but if there was ever a time where they missed each other, he did his best to not feel guilty. He knew that they both had set aside time for each other that Friday.

When that day did finally roll around, Lee found himself both satisfied with the work he had put in that week, as well as very, very excited to see Gaara. The hotel staff was confused when he ordered ice cream so early in the morning, but Lee was too happy to care. He pulled out the puzzle he had bought at a gift shop, set his ice cream down in front of him, and pulled his laptop open. He shimmied in his seat as he waited for Gaara to call. He didn’t keep him waiting long, as seconds later Lee got a notification that Gaara wanted to chat.

“Hi, love!” Lee all but yelled, a smile splitting his face in two. 

“Hi, Lee. It’s so good to see you,” Gaara said, sighing and smiling back.

Tears welled up in Lee’s eyes as a familiar ache swelled in his chest. “It is good to see you, too.” He laughed and wiped his eyes. “I did not realize how much I missed you this week.”

Gaara smiled softly. There was a longing in his eyes that made Lee want to reach through the computer and kiss him. Lee sniffed and did the closest thing he could to that, leaning in and lightly pressing his lips to the webcam.

“Lee, you’re gonna get the camera all dirty,” Gaara said with a laugh. “How am I supposed to see how handsome you look?”

Lee blushed and leaned back. He smiled, slow and easy, his heart filling with overwhelming love for Gaara. He couldn’t wait to get back home.

“What kind of ice cream did you get, baby?” Lee asked, resting his arms on the desk. Gaara held up a bowl, tipping it slightly so Lee could see in.

“I got pistachio this time. I figured since you weren’t here to share, I should just pick what I knew I would want eventually.”

“Good! I am glad. I just got plain old vanilla. It may be boring, but it reminds me of you!” Lee responded, tipping his bowl and spilling some of the melting ice cream, narrowly missing his laptop.

“Lee, are you calling me boring?” Gaara asked, spooning some of the ice cream into his mouth.

“What?! Of course not! You are the most interesting person I know!” He swiped the ice cream of the table with his finger and looked around for something to wipe it off with. “Er, one second, I need to grab a towel.”

Lee stood and turned around, looking for the one he had used that morning when he took a shower. Once he located it, he bent down to grab it, only to hear a whistle from behind him. He stood quickly, wiping his finger off and sitting back down in front of the camera.

“Gaara! You are not supposed to objectify me!”

Gaara laughed. “Lee, I’m not objectifying you. There are lots of things I love about you. Your ass just happens to be one of them,” he said with a shrug.

“Well, yours is quite nice, too,” Lee mumbled, wiping the table excessively.

“Hm? What was that?” Gaara asked, further teasing him.

Lee threw his towel to the side and grabbed the puzzle box from behind his laptop. He shook it at Gaara, trying to change the subject.

Gaara rolled his eyes and smiled, then grabbed his own box. 

“What kind of puzzle did you get, Lee?” Gaara asked, opening his and dumping the pieces out.

“I got a landscape puzzle of a mountain range nearby!” Lee pried the lid off the box and did the same as Gaara had. He began to sort the pieces with some difficulty. “What about you, love?”

Gaara held up the box so Lee could see. Various sizes and colors of tea pots filled the space with boxes and bags of tea in between. Lee nodded and smiled, though he was glad he wasn’t working on that one with him. It looked far too complicated. He looked down and continued to work on his own puzzle.

“I wish you were here. I hate sorting the pieces,” he grumbled after a few moments, frowning with his cheek in his hand as he continued to sort through the colorful cardboard.

“I wish I was there, too. But I’m sure you’ll do just fine. Just think of it as training.”

Lee gasped. “It is training! I will train to be better at puzzles, that way I can do more of the work when we do it together!” He pounded a determined fist onto the desk, making some of the pieces fall off. Gaara just smiled, eating his ice cream while he waited for Lee to get all of his pieces together. Once he had, he continued sorting them, setting all of the edge pieces aside to be worked on first.

“So, how was your week?” Gaara asked. Lee could hear gentle clicking. Somehow, Gaara had already sorted his puzzle and was already piecing it together.

“It actually went very well! I trained really hard, and so did Tenten. I am more than ready for the competition this Sunday!”

Gaara nodded and set another puzzle piece into place. “That’s good. I hope you’re taking care of yourself, Lee…”

“I am! Do not worry, sweetheart. I make sure to not exceed too far past my limits. I have been eating three square meals a day. I make sure to take hot baths to help my muscles. I am doing just fine!” Lee found a match and triumphantly stuck it into place. “What about you? Are you taking care of yourself?”

Gaara sighed and paused which concerned Lee. He didn’t make it known, just continued to work on his puzzle while he waited for Gaara to speak.

“I’m doing my best. It gets hard sometimes, and I find myself staying at home all day more often than not. I guess you were one of the only reasons I had to leave.” Gaara laughed, but it was tinged with sadness. He paused. “I’m just… nevermind.”

“You are just what?” Lee’s voice was tight.

“Don’t worry about it. Where are you at on your puzzle?”

“Gaara, baby, please talk to me. Let me help if I can.”

Gaara sighed. “I’m just not sure how much longer I can do this. I miss you a lot and it’s getting harder for me to have you be so far away. I don’t know… I was feeling better earlier this week, but I’m feeling low today. I’m sorry.”

“Gaara, love, please do not apologize. I want to hear about these things, okay?” He placed another piece into his frame. It was almost completed. “Would you like me to come home?” he asked softly.

Gaara frowned and looked directly into the camera. “No, absolutely not. I love you, Lee. And I miss you so much. But no way would I take this from you. It’s your dream.”

Lee stared back at him. He wished he could hold his hand. “I can make new dreams. I have made new dreams.”

“I know, Lee, but that doesn’t mean this one is any less important.” Gaara sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “You’re just so important to me. But, this has helped. I think… I think we just need to do this more often.”

Lee did his best not to cry. He didn’t want to make Gaara feel guilty. “We do need to do it more, I am so sorry, Gaara. I think that I have been trying too hard to make things how they were when I was home. We just need to do it a bit differently for a while.”

Gaara breathed deeply and nodded. “Don’t feel bad, Lee. Like I said, I want you to be there. I’m so happy you are. I guess it will just make being back together that much sweeter.”

Lee nodded and smiled through his tears. “Thank you for being so supportive, Gaara. I love you so much.”

Gaara smiled back, then returned to his puzzle. “I love you, too.”

After a few minutes of silence, Gaara gasped and smacked the side of his head.

“Holy shit, Lee, did I tell you what happened with Kankuro?!”

Lee’s head shot up as his hands jostled the puzzle slightly. “No! What happened? Is he alright?!”

Gaara started laughing. “Yeah, he’s fine! I can’t believe I didn’t tell you. The other day at the skate shop, I was stopping by to pick up Shikadai. And for some reason, Temari was there, and she was chewing his ass out.” Gaara paused to catch his breath. “So I walked up to the counter and said, ‘Uh, Temari, what are you doing here? I thought I was watching Shikadai today.’ So then she turns to me and starts yelling at me, but I had no idea what was going on!”

Lee smiled as Gaara told the story. He had missed the sound of Gaara’s laugh.

“Turns out this dumb ass decided to test out a new home ramp they were selling by rolling the baby down it. He had put a helmet on him, and Shikadai seemed to enjoy it, but Temari was so fucking pissed. Kankuro has a black eye now and isn’t allowed to babysit ever again.”

Lee laughed along with Gaara. His ice cream was melting, but he didn’t care. He had more important things to do.

“I am sure the babysitter ban will only last until you are unavailable!”

“Yeah, no kidding.” Gaara calmed his breathing and began working on the puzzle again. 

They continued to chat as they pieced their pictures together. Lee told Gaara more about Naruto and Tsunade. He told him about how Naruto said he couldn’t date a redhead, to which Gaara scoffed and said some very unkind things about him. Gaara told him about his Saturday meals with Kakashi and Gai and how they would all talk about Lee and how wonderful he was. 

Once Gaara had completed his puzzle, and Lee had almost finished, he sat back and yawned. “Lee, I should probably head to bed. I wish I could talk to you for hours, but I don’t think it would be very fun to hear me snore.”

Lee laughed. “I would thoroughly enjoy it! But you are right.” He glanced at the clock. “It looks like I need to go train soon as well. Thank you for the date, Gaara. We will plan another one soon. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, Lee.” Gaara leaned in and kissed the monitor, Lee doing the same soon after.

“Good night, love!”

“Good… afternoon?” Gaara laughed. “Enjoy your training.”

They said goodbye and hung up. Lee sighed happily, looking down at his puzzle and his melted bowl of ice cream. He closed his laptop and stood to get ready for another day of skating. As he did so, more ideas flooded his head for future video chat dates. He would plan another one soon, right after his next competition. For now, he needed to focus. It wasn’t going to win itself.

Even with as determined as Lee was, the excitement of the competitions had begun to die down. Lee found himself more anxious than anything before each one. The more he won, the more anxious he got. He felt like he was on such a great streak, and if he broke it something terrible would happen. He knew it was silly, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling. 

As he stood at the top of a ramp that next Sunday, anxiety buzzed through his veins. His fingers shook as he prepared to skate once again. Though he loved skating to compete, he knew that going back home and skating with the program kids just for fun would be a welcome break. He might even be able to start teaching Shikadai to how to skateboard soon.

He smiled as he thought of his nephew, the memories of him and Gaara playing together bringing him comfort. He dreamed of the day where Shikadai could have sleepovers with them. They would build pillow forts and make french toast in the morning, that way Gaara and Lee wouldn’t have to argue about pancakes and waffles.

He wiped his eyes as his name was called. It was time to skate again. Lee tried to forget about the competition and ignore the people yelling around him. Right now, all he needed to do was skate. He knew how to do that. He rolled his shoulders, stepped onto his board, then rolled gracefully off the side of the wooden platform. 

The audience was stunned once again.

His intense training that week had paid off. All of his usual tricks were executed flawlessly. The new ones he had learned, including one where he rolled up and off the ramp, grabbing his board and straightening his body in the air, seemed almost effortless. Lee was glad he had taken the time to learn something new. Even though his routine hadn’t varied much, the addition of something different made it a lot more interesting. As he soared through the air, he made a mental note to create a brand new routine. Hopefully that would help with the redundancy he had started to feel.

After the usual congratulatory greeting from Tenten and Tsunade, they waited for the awards ceremony. Tenten placed second which worried Lee. Luckily, she seemed to take it in stride, still happy that she had made the top three. As expected, Lee placed first. The usual excitement he normally felt didn’t come. He was pleased with his placing, but he didn’t feel much more than that. It was almost as if all of his emotions had stayed behind on the ramp. After his name was called, he stepped up to the platform to take pictures, making sure to congratulate every other skater he saw. Once he got his prize money and flowers, he stepped back down, a somewhat forced smile on his face.

“Lee, are you okay?” Tenten asked. He handed her the bouquet of flowers and passed the envelope to Tsunade.

“Yes, I am just a bit tired. You can keep these. You did a great job, Tenten.” He began to tear up. “I am so proud of you.”

Tenten frowned, but said nothing. She grabbed his hand as they walked out, squeezing it comfortingly. Once back at the hotel, she walked him to his room, her hand in his the whole way. When they were at his door, she let go and looked at him.

“What’s wrong, Lee? Aren’t you happy you won?”

“Yes! I am glad I won, and I am proud of you as well. I am just… feeling a bit apathetic tonight, I suppose.”

Tenten paused, her face full of concern. “How can I help?”

He laughed quietly. “It happens from time to time. It went away for a while, but I suppose the sudden lifestyle change is pulling it back. I think I just need some sleep.”

“Okay. But, Lee?”

“Yes?”

Tenten paused, then sighed. “Please let me know if you need anything, okay? I don’t want you to be miserable here.”

“I will let you know, but I assure you I am not miserable. I am very happy most of the time! It is just one of those nights, I guess.”

Tenten nodded, then stood on her toes to kiss Lee on the cheek. “G’night, Lee. Let’s go for a hike tomorrow?”

Lee nodded and pulled her in for a hug, gently squashing the bouquet she held in her arms. “Goodnight, Tenten.”

He stepped into his hotel room, a weight lifting from his shoulders slightly. Anytime he was feeling apathetic it was hard for him to be around people. He felt like he was disappointing them if he wasn’t his usual chipper self. He knew that wasn’t true, but he couldn’t help but feeling that way. The only person he was okay to be around like this was Gaara. He never felt like he had to perform or hide anything from him. Gaara loved him regardless of how he was feeling. He missed having someone like that around. 

After showering and changing into a hoodie and sweatpants, Lee laid on the soft hotel bed and pulled out his phone. Gaara was probably at work by now, but he might have a chance to chat for a few minutes. Looking at the screen, he realized that Gaara had already sent him a text. He smiled and swiped it open. Gaara had sent a picture of himself. And he was wearing the black hoodie Lee had sent him!

Gaara

“Just got your package. You are so thoughtful. I am excited to sleep with this tonight. And the candy was delicious. I’m hanging one of the postcards up at work. Thank you, Lee. You are so caring and wonderful. I love you.”

Lee was excited that Gaara had gotten the package, but he was slightly confused. How had he gotten it so fast? He read online that the shipping would take two to three weeks. It had only been less than one. Had Lee accidentally paid for express?

He pulled his tired body out of bed and grabbed the shipping receipt he had saved. It had the tracking number on it so that he could make sure it didn’t get lost. He scanned through it quickly, his eyebrows drawn down.

At the bottom, he saw the price. It was more than he had paid for. He glanced back up the paper and realized that the hotel employee had not only set the shipping to express, but hadn’t charged him extra for it. She must have heard him and Tenten talking about it in the lobby.

Tears welled up in his eyes. He was going to make sure to get her a gift before they left for another country. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. He had so many amazing and supportive people in his life.

Kakashi and Gai were constantly looking out for not only their family, but every extension of it. Tenten encouraged Lee to pursue his dreams, but also made sure that he felt safe and comfortable. Tsunade had invited him on the trip and was constantly pushing him to do his best. The skating community was welcoming, and now even the hotel employees were doing what they could to help him. Even Naruto had done a few things for Lee in his own way.

And then there was Gaara. Sweet, warm, funny, handsome, smart, and supportive Gaara. Without him, he wouldn’t have a reason to be on this trip or a reason to go home after. Gaara was his everything. He wasn’t sure how he had lived without him for so long. He had lived a happy life before, but Gaara was the last piece in the puzzle. With him he felt complete.

Lee threw the hood of his jacket on, tightening the strings slightly. He laid back in bed, smiling as he answered Gaara’s text. They chatted for a while longer until Lee eventually fell asleep. He felt warm both inside and out, making for the best night of sleep he had experienced on his trip.


	12. A Night Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now in their third country, Lee and Tenten spend a night out on the town.

Three weeks, and several video dates later, Lee was back on a plane heading to the third country of their trip. He bounced up and down in his seat, luckily next to Tenten this time. Kakashi had told him that this was one of the countries he had visited when he went touring with Tsunade. Lee was excited to revisit his dad’s adventure and hoped that he would live up to his legacy. When he had told Kakashi this, he had gotten a little misty eyed. Not that Kakashi would ever admit that.

“So, Lee,” Tenten said, stretching her feet out in front of her as the plane took off. She had plenty of room, seeing as Tsunade had upgraded them to first class. She sat in the aisle next to them, while Naruto was stuck far in the back of the plane. He hadn’t taken Tsunade’s warning about calling her old and had been punished with business class while everyone else experienced luxury.

“Last country before the championship tour, huh? How are you feeling about it?”

Lee wriggled back into his seat to get more comfortable. “I am unsure! I do not know if I will qualify. And even if I do, I do not know if I will go or not.” He shrugged. “I guess it will depend on what Gaara says.”

Tenten snorted. “Lee, you and I both know damn well that if you said anything to Gaara, he would insist that you stay for the championship. If you don’t want to do it, then don’t. But don’t pin it on him.”

“I am not pinning it on him, Tenten. It is just something I would like to discuss with him first.”

Tenten sighed. “I guess that makes sense. But I still think you should do it. You’re definitely going to get in.”

Lee looked at her and smiled. “I probably will! Thank you for your confidence in me. But I do not have to decide quite yet. We should just enjoy these last few competitions!”

Tenten closed her eyes and laid back against the headrest. “I guess you’re right.”

Lee smiled lightly to himself, then looked out the window of the plane. The last two months of competitions had only mattered on the night they took place. This new round would influence whether they were allowed to participate in the championship or not. It made Lee even more anxious, but he was going to do his best to not worry about it. As long as he thought of it as a regular competition, he would be able to keep up his winning streak. Or at least he hoped.

This flight felt drastically different than the last two had. It may have been something to do with the fact that they had a lot more room, but it was getting easier and easier for Lee to leave the place he had temporarily called his home. And now that he and Gaara were communicating more effectively for the special circumstances they were in, Lee felt more connected to him. He desperately wanted to hold and kiss him, but it no longer felt like he had completely abandoned him. He found a way to love and support him, even though they were thousands of miles away.

Lee rested his head against the window as he thought of Gaara. He seemed to be doing well in the new home. Kankuro had managed to break one of their lamps, though Gaara wasn’t quite sure how, but otherwise all was well. Lee often worried that there was something that Gaara might not be telling him, but he chalked it up to his anxiety and tried not to think too much about it. Gaara wasn’t completely alone, and Lee would be home soon. In fact, his trip was going much faster than expected. He often found himself starting to miss different aspects of their trip even though it hadn’t even ended yet. It had been a bit of a challenge to pull himself out of those thoughts and jump back into the present moment, but he was working on it. He still had plenty of time to enjoy his trip with Tenten and he needed to focus on that.

He pulled his head off the window and looked at his foster sister. She met his eyes with a questioning glance. He smiled at her, prompting her to punch him lightly in the arm. He rested his head back onto the window, and fell asleep. 

After landing in their third foreign country within the last few months, they drove to the hotel, chattering about the things they wanted to see or about the various competitions being held. Naruto, who was still upset about having to fly regular class, sat with his lip jutted out, sulking. Tsunade ignored him and seemed to be high in spirits.

“So,” she said, absentmindedly cracking her knuckles, “this championship. I have a strong feeling both of you are going to get in. There’s one winner in each category, so I have the chance of winning big.”

“Uh, don’t you mean Lee and I have a chance at winning big?” Tenten asked with a raised brow.

“Sure, all three of us, whatever. But here’s the thing. The champions get a sponsorship with the skate company running the event. If both of you get it, you’re gonna be making bank.”

“Er, what does a sponsorship entail?” Lee asked nervously. He hoped that it wasn’t anything that would keep him away from Gaara longer. He didn’t know that he would be able to accept it if it did.

“Well, luckily for you, lover boy, the sponsor is based back home. So you wouldn’t have to tour anymore,” Tsunade said. Lee let out a sigh of relief. 

“Yeah, basically you just do what I did for Neji’s shop. Photoshoots, meet and greets, judging, so on and so on.” Tenten patted his leg reassuringly. 

Lee nodded. “That sounds very exciting! That would be a cool opportunity.”

All three nodded, then fell back into silence. Naruto continued to pout.

After a few hours of driving, they finally made it to their hotel room. The city they were skating in was far from the airport, separated by a long, green countryside. It had made for a beautiful drive, but Lee was relieved when they finally made it to the hotel. They got checked in, then made their way to their separate rooms, planning on training late the next afternoon. The hotel they were staying at was a lot less fancy than the previous two they had stayed in. Lee automatically felt a bit more comfortable. 

Once in his room, luckily placed right next to Tenten again, he plopped his stuff on the floor and sat on the bed. One thing that had grown tiresome from travelling so much was having to unpack and repack every few weeks. Just when Lee thought he had gotten the hang of his organization skills, he had to do it all over again. 

After a few minutes of resting on the bed, Lee felt his phone buzz. He pulled out his phone and his heart stuttered in his chest. Gaara had sent him a text.

Gaara

“At home with the baby if you want to say hi. I can video chat for a bit.”

It was followed by a blurry picture of Shikadai who seemed to be doing his best to throw pillows at Gaara’s head. Lee choked up a bit, then quickly answered Gaara’s text. He threw his phone on the bed, then rummaged through his bag until he found his laptop. He set it down on the small hotel desk, flipped it open, and started to call Gaara. He answered seconds later, and Lee was greeted to the sight of his boyfriend getting nailed in the head by one of the couch pillows.

“Ha!” Shikadai screamed out, his tiny voice turning into a screech at the end.

“Lee, please make him stop.”

Lee laughed as tears filled his eyes. He was so intensely happy to see Gaara. 

He sniffed and wiped away the moisture. “Shikadai, you stinker, leave your uncle Gaara alone!”

Shikadai’s head snapped up from where he was jumping on the couch behind Gaara. He sat down, then slid off the couch on his tummy, making his way clumsily over to where the laptop was. 

“Uncle Lee,” he said in awe, his lisp highlighted at the softness of his voice. While the baby was distracted, Gaara took the opportunity to tighten the hair band wrapped around his tiny ponytail. 

“Hello, Shikadai! How are you?”

“Gaara has ta watch me, today cause mommy and Shik are gettin’ dinner,” Shikadai said, his face far too close to the webcam.

“Shikadai, you’re not supposed to call your father “Shik” remember?” Gaara said, trying to adjust the laptop so he could see Lee.

“Er, where did he learn that?” Lee asked, trying his best to not laugh and encourage the toddler further.

Gaara sighed. “Kankuro taught him.”

At the mention of his other uncle, Shikadai leaned back and laughed. “Kanky tol’ me to say ‘Shik, Shik, Shik, Shik.’” Shikadai clapped his hands and screeched. Gaara pulled him away from the webcam and sat him in his lap, a firm arm around his tummy.

“I think Kankuro was trying to teach him a different word, but he seemed to be pleased with this result, too.” Gaara leaned away from Shikadai as he began to wave his arms wildly.

“What word?”

Gaara frowned, then leaned toward the webcam. “Shit,” he whispered. 

“Shik, shik, shik!” Shikadai screamed with joy. He wriggled out of Gaara’s arms and took off, running out of sight of the webcam. 

Lee smiled sympathetically. “I wish I was there to help you out. He seems to be very… excited tonight.”

Gaara stretched his arms up. “I don’t know why. I took him to the park, you would think he would have gotten all of his energy out.”

“Hopefully he crashes soon,” Lee said with a laugh. “Is he staying the night?”

“No, both Tem and I work in the morning,” Gaara said with a yawn. “They should be here to pick him up within the next hour. I’m hoping to calm him down before then, though. Temari is a nightmare to work with when she doesn’t sleep well.”

“Just like you!” Lee said, laughing brightly. As much as he enjoyed skating, he never felt as whole or light as he did when he talked to Gaara.

“What?! You think I’m a nightmare?” Gaara asked in mock offense. 

Lee laughed and continued to tease him as they listened to Shikadai run in circles around the living room. Lee was glad that he had baby proofed the house as soon as he heard that Temari was having a baby. Gaara told him not to bother, that he would hardly be at his house, but they had ended up becoming the most frequent, and most popular, babysitters. 

Sometimes Temari and Shikamaru would have Shikadai pick which pair of uncles he was going with. More often than not he would opt to go with Gaara and Lee. On the rare occasion he picked Kankuro, it was usually because of some sort of steep bribe. Because of that, Kankuro ended up spending a lot of money whenever he babysat. He complained that his nephew was expensive, but Neji always reminded him that it was his fault, not the baby’s.

Even though Lee had already worked with kids before Shikadai was born, he had learned a lot in his time with him. Every time he and Gaara would babysit, he could picture them being fathers together. Their parenting styles and personalities complimented each other well. Gaara was more reserved and calm, Lee was more outgoing and energetic. Lee looked forward to the day when he and Gaara could become foster parents themselves.

By that time, he expected that Tenten would be moved out, or they would have moved somewhere else. He would invest in a play room for the kids, making sure to provide plenty of toys. He knew that Gaara would be sure to decorate the room with a few of the puzzles they had already completed. On weekends they could all work on puzzles together, go to breakfast in their pajamas, go for a walk in the park. It would be beautiful. And it would be theirs.

Lee found himself crying by the time Gaara had gotten up to grab Shikadai and had sat back down. When he looked at Lee, his face dropped. 

“Lee, what’s wrong?”

“Oh, I just think the world of you, Gaara. I feel so much for you and… my heart cannot take it sometimes. You are so wonderful.”

Gaara smiled softly and pulled the baby closer to him. “I love you, Lee.”

“No, I love Uncle Lee,” Shikadai said with a pout. Gaara glared down at the baby.

“Shikadai, you don’t own Lee. I can love him, too.”

“No!” Shikadai yelled, shaking his head angrily. Gaara sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Sorry, Lee, looks like I can’t love you anymore.”

Lee laughed lightly. “Gaara, I love you, too. And guess what Shikadai?”

“Hmph,” he responded, turning his head away.

“I love you toooo! You are my favorite nephew.”

Shikadai sniffed, then turned back toward the webcam. Deciding to forgive Lee for being a traitor, he kissed the palm of his hand and waved it at the camera.

“Where did he learn that?!” Lee said with a gasp.

Gaara laughed. “I taught him that the other day. Shikadai, blow Uncle Lee a kiss.”

Shikadai did, sputtering his lips as he waved his tiny arm.

Gaara mimicked him, though his was much more refined.

“Well, here! One for Shikadai.” Lee kissed the palm of his hand and blew toward the webcam. “And two for Gaara.”

Gaara smiled and, humoring Lee, caught both. Shikadai continued to maniacally blow kisses as the two adults smiled at each other. 

After a few more minutes of talking, there was a knock at Gaara’s door.

“That’s probably Temari. I should go. It was great to see you, Lee. I’ll text you before I go to bed, okay?”

Lee nodded. “Okay, baby. I love you so much. Goodnight Shikadai!”

“Goodnight Shik Shik Shik Shik,” he responded, running in the direction of the door. Gaara sighed.

“Bye, Lee. Love you.”

“I love you, too!”

Lee closed his laptop and stood from the desk. He stretched and puttered around the room, putting some of his things away and training schedule for the next few weeks. It seemed that Tsunade was really packing in the sessions. Tonight would be one of the only nights they had off for the next month.

Knowing this, he sat back at the desk to get some work done. Everything seemed to be going alright with his programs, but Lee was still worried. He sent out emails to his program substitutes, checking in and making sure there weren’t any problems. Soon, he would be able to take the programs back and not have to check in anymore. Once he was back home, it would take him a while to get back into the swing of things, but he knew that he would be happy to work with the kids again.

After a few more hours of working, Lee checked the time. It was getting close to dinner. He stood from his chair and began walking to Tenten’s room to see if she wanted to eat with him. She let him in and instructed him to sit down. He did so hesitantly. It looked like Tenten had another hair brained scheme planned.

“Dinner, eh?” she asked with a smirk.

“Er, yes? You do not have to if you have something else planned, I just figured we should do something since we do not have a lot of free time here.”

Tenten smirked. “I propose a night out! We both need to loosen up a bit. We can go get dinner, go to a few bars. It’ll be fun!” she said, grabbing Lee’s shoulders and shaking him gently.

“That sounds great! And then I can make sure you stay safe while you drink,” Lee said, teasing her gently.

“Lee, you’re gonna drink, too,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“Tenten, that is not a good idea. Besides, I would much rather make sure you stay okay!”

“Okay, fine,” she said, flopping her arms against her sides. “But we’re still gonna go out. C’mon, Lee. I’m going to get ready. I’ll see you in half an hour. Wear something nicer than that.”

Lee looked down at his outfit which consisted of black jeans and a green shirt. “Tenten, I am not sure what is wrong with my clothes, but I will look and see if I have anything nicer.”

“Good! Now get out.” Tenten pushed on Lee’s back, walking him to the door of her hotel room.

Lee laughed and shook his head once he had been shut out into the hallway. He got back into his room and began rummaging through his suitcase, trying to find something “nice” to wear. Luckily, he had packed a few button downs at Gaara’s suggestion. He put one on with his dark jeans, then rolled the sleeves to his elbows. He took off his snapback and brushed through his hat hair. Knowing Tenten would take a bit longer, he laid back onto his bed and began to scroll through his phone absentmindedly.

After refreshing his work email inbox a few times, he heard a knock on his door. He opened it and there stood Tenten in her “going out” outfit. It consisted of the things she wore almost every day, but today she was wearing boots with a slight heel. She bounced up and down in them and looked up at Lee excitedly.

“Tenten, you look wonderful!” Lee said, smiling at her. 

“Thanks, Lee! So do you!” she replied, adjusting his collar. She patted him firmly on the chest, then began walking down the hall.

“So, where exactly are we going?” Lee asked, matching her pace.

“There’s a bar down the street I want to check out. They have some local drinks that I’ve heard are pretty good.”

“Great! Let me just text Gaara and let him know that I will be out.” He pulled out his phone and typed out a quick message. He would be sleeping for a while longer, but Lee didn’t like Gaara not knowing what he was doing. He sent the message, along with plenty of heart emojis, then pocketed his phone, giving Tenten a thumbs up. She smiled at him, then led him out of the hotel lobby and into the darkening streets.

After ten minutes of walking, they arrived at the bar. Music and light conversation filtered out of the building. Tenten pulled Lee inside, then sat them in a small table near the back. Lee looked around the dimly lit room as Tenten looked at the menu.

“This place is not very busy,” Lee said, finally opening his own menu.

“I’m sure it will get busier soon. The reviews were super positive, so I can’t imagine that it would stay slow for very long.”

Lee hummed and continued looking through the menu. There wasn’t much in terms of food, but they did have milkshakes. Lee decided on one of those, reasoning that he and Tenten could always stop somewhere for something more filling later. She would need to eat, anyway.

After a few minutes of waiting, Lee shifted slightly in his seat. “Is this one of those bars where you need to go order your drink? Or will someone come over?”

Tenten continued to rip the napkin she had grabbed when they sat down. “I dunno.”

Lee sat for a moment longer, then stood up. “I will just go order at the bar. What would you like?”

Tenten gave him her drink order, thanked him, then continued to rip the paper. Lee thought she seemed a bit reluctant to be there, even though it had been her idea. He sighed and began walking toward the middle of the room. He hoped that a drink would calm her down a bit. He stepped up to the counter and waited patiently for the bartender's attention.

“What’ll you have?” they asked in a thick accent.

“Hello! May I please have a Rusty Nail and a caramel milkshake?”

“You got it. That’ll be just a moment.”

Lee thanked them, then sat down on one of the stools. He looked around at all of the wall decorations, when something caught his eye. A woman was staring at him, only a few seats down. He snapped his head forward, hoping she wouldn’t scoot down and try to talk to him. He always had a hard time with a few of the moms at his skate program. It was always so hard for him to make it clear that he wasn’t interested without hurting someone’s feelings.

Unfortunately for him, she sat down next to him only seconds later.

“Hi,” she said, resting her elbow on the counter.

“Oh, hello!” Lee said back, smiling tightly at her. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned slightly away.

“I like your tattoos,” she said after a pause. Lee smiled at her in response.

“You don’t sound like you’re from around here. What brings you overseas?”

Lee swallowed. “I am a skateboarder. I have been competing with my sister.”

“Oh? That’s incredible. You look like a skateboarder.”

Lee was silent once again.

“So, Mr. Skateboarder. Do you have a name?”

“My name is Lee,” he said, his voice cracking slightly. He was never good at being flirted with. That is, when he could tell that someone was flirting. Most of the time he was totally oblivious.

“Lee,” she replied, drawing out each sound in his name. “Do you want to know my name? It could be the name of your future girlfriend.” She rested a hand on his knee. Lee could feel his face flush bright red. All he could think about was Gaara.

Before he could figure out how to awkwardly remove her hand from his knee, the bartender set his drinks down. He stood quickly, knocking the barstool back a bit, and grabbed them firmly in his hand.

“That is okay, my boyfriend Gaara would probably be upset. Thank you, though. Have a great night!”

He walked quickly back to where Tenten sat, doing his best not to spill. Some of Tenten’s dripped onto his hand. He set it down in front of her, then quickly took his own seat.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, her eyebrow quirked as she took a sip of her slightly spilled drink.

“Someone was flirting with me and I panicked.”

Tenten laughed out loud.

“Tenten, be quiet! I do not want to draw any more attention.”

“Sorry, sorry,” she replied between laughs. She took a second sip of her drink, pulled it back to look at it, then downed the entire thing in one go.

“Tenten! Why did you do that?”

“I’m thirsty,” she said with a shrug. “Besides, it’s been awhile since I’ve gotten smashed on one of these trips. I figure, hey, you’re here with me. So why not take advantage of that?”

Lee sighed. “Alright. But please do not drink more than you safely should.”

Tenten reached over the table and patted Lee’s cheek. “Don’t worry. I won’t.”

Wanting to save Lee from further embarrassment, she walked to the bar to get her own drink. Lee began to take small sips of his melting shake. Tenten came back and sipped on her drink as she and Lee discussed home life, the championship, and the importance of stretching after training. They got two free drinks sent to their table, one from the girl at the bar and another from a group of girls who had showed up to the bar already drunk. Tenten had enjoyed both, and more.

After her words had begun to slur, Lee decided it was time to get something to eat and go back to the hotel. He wanted to make sure she got food, water, and some pain medication before it was too late. A hungover Tenten was never a fun person to be around.

As he stood her up to leave, she gasped, causing Lee to panic slightly.

“Lee! I wanna get-- another tattoo,” she said, wobbling slightly. “I wanna get a skateboard--” she hiccuped, “--on my ribs.”

“Tenten, maybe you should wait until we get back home.”

“Nooo! Lee! How many people can say they got a tattoo in another country?!”

“I am not sure. But you do not need to be one of them.” Lee grabbed her arm gently, pulling her up to the bar so they could pay the tab. After narrowly avoiding the woman from before, they stepped outside. Lee breathed in the cooler air, happy to be heading home. Well, not home, exactly. But the hotel would have to do for now.

“Lee, please. I really want another tattoo,” Tenten whispered, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

Lee frowned and bounced on the tips of his toes. He really couldn’t stand to see Tenten cry. But how could he trust that any parlor they went to would be safe? He had only ever gone to one tattoo artist before. And he had done thorough research before he did. He didn’t want Tenten to get hurt while they were so far from home.

Before he could protest again, Tenten began to sniffle.

“Okay, Tenten, we will go find a tattoo parlor. But I need to look for one that is safe, okay? Please do not cry.”

Tenten instantly perked up and threw her arms around Lee’s neck.

“Thank youuu, Lee,” she said, kissing his ear. He leaned back a bit and pulled out his phone. He began searching for tattoo shops nearby and reading the reviews. Luckily, he found one that was rated very well. From the pictures he saw, the shop was clean and sterile. Best of all, they were open and they took walk-ins. He wrapped Tenten’s arm in his to help her walk, then started in the direction of the shop.

“I would like to make it clear that I am only agreeing to this because I know you have wanted this tattoo for a while,” he said, anxiety thrumming in his chest.

“Lee, you’re the best,” Tenten said, hopping slightly to keep up with Lee’s quickened pace. He slowed down, forgetting that she wasn’t completely balanced at the moment. After what should have been a ten minute walk, that turned into twenty with Tenten’s wobbly pace, they made it to the tattoo parlor. Lee looked in through the window and was relieved to see that the place seemed to be as clean as it was on the review photos. A few people sat in the lobby which was always a good sign. Before Lee could try to talk Tenten out of it again, she pulled him inside. 

“Hello, I would like a tattoo, please,” Tenten said in her best sober voice. The guy behind the counter laughed slightly and looked at Lee.

“You okay with this?”

Lee smoothed his shirt. “She has wanted it for a while so I am sure it will be alright.”

“Okay, let's get you tattooed, then,” he said, grabbing a small binder of tattoo designs. As Tenten explained to him that she wanted a skateboard, Lee meandered through the shop, looking at different pictures of the work the artists had done before. On one wall was a nicely framed collage of hand tattoos. He smiled as he looked at one that was done on the ring finger of someone’s left hand in place of a wedding ring. Then his smile dropped. He patted his pocket, looking for something he had been carrying around with him. He felt it, then pulled it out.

It was Gaara’s letter, crinkled from constant reading. There at the end, was what Gaara had signed.

“I love you.”

Lee smiled. It looked like he would be getting a tattoo as well.

“Excuse me,” he said, stepping up to the counter where the tattoo artist was sketching out a skateboard for Tenten. “Could you possibly tattoo someone’s handwriting?”

“Sure, as long as you have an example.”

Lee timidly placed the letter on the counter, pointing to the sentence he wanted done. “Could you tattoo this on my left hand?”

The artist looked at it without picking it up, something Lee was grateful for. “Yeah, we could do this. You want it on your ring finger? For your wife?”

“Oh, actually, my middle finger? And for, uh, my boyfriend…”

He finished his sketch, then pushed it toward Tenten for approval. She gasped softly and picked it up to admire it. Picking up the letter to more closely inspect it, he squinted, then nodded.

“Yeah, I could do that. It will be a bit of a wait, but I can do yours while my wife does this one’s.”

Lee smiled, then nodded his head. “Thank you so much!”

Lee and Tenten sat down to wait for their tattoos. She leaned against him, growing sleepy as the alcohol ran its course through her system. She seemed to be sobering up slightly, but Lee was still in a rush to get her some food. He was glad that both of their tattoos were small. 

“Lee, why are you getting it on your middle finger? Why not your ring finger? You and Gaara will be married soon enough.”

“Oh, because… well, just because, I suppose.”

Tenten said nothing.

Half an hour later, both Tenten and Lee were called back for their tattoos. Tenten went in a separate room than Lee did, which made him nervous, but he knew that he wouldn’t be gone for long. He was just getting a small line on his finger.

“So, your boyfriend. How did you both meet?” the artist asked as he began to tattoo Lee’s finger.

“Oh! We are both social workers and he was assigned to evaluate my skateboarding program,” Lee said, watching as he drew Gaara’s writing into his skin.

“Very cool. So, you’re both gay then?”

Lee swallowed nervously. “Well, my boyfriend is. But I am bisexual.”

“Ah, I thought you might be! My wife is as well, so I like to talk about it when I get the chance. I try and be as supportive as possible.”

Lee smiled and nodded. “I am sure you are an excellent husband!”

“I do my best.”

Lee smiled and nodded at him, then looked around the small room. It was a deep red and covered in pictures of previous clients. They were both silent for the remaining ten minutes. It was the quickest tattoo Lee had ever gotten. Once it was done, he looked at it and began to cry.

“This is beautiful. It is my new favorite tattoo,” Lee said, wiping his tears. “I do not know how you capture his handwriting so perfectly. Thank you so much.”

“It’s no problem,” he replied, clapping Lee on the shoulder. “I’m glad you found someone that makes you happy.”

“Me, too,” Lee sniffled.

After profusely thanking him, Lee left the room and stepped into Tenten’s. She was laying on the padded table as the shop owner’s wife worked. She chatted away, talking excitedly about the competition and how happy she was to be on the trip with Lee. Not long after, hers was also complete. A wrap was placed over the small tattoo, and they were off, after tipping heavily, of course.

Once Lee had pulled Tenten into a restaurant for some food, they made their way back to the hotel. Tenten was falling asleep standing up, so Lee carried her on his back the rest of the way. Once he deposited her safely in her hotel room, he checked on the small tattoo, making sure that it was still properly covered so she wouldn’t get an infection. He made sure she drank some water and took some medicine, then stepped back into his own. He sent a text to Gaara, opened his laptop, and waited. A few minutes later he got the video call request.

“Hi, Lee,” Gaara said, smiling brightly through the webcam. “How are you?”

“I am great! I went out with Tenten tonight. Besides being flirted with, it was a lot of fun!”

Gaara paused. “You got flirted with?”

“I did! But do not worry. I now have something that will hopefully keep people away.”

“And what’s that?” Gaara asked, a hint of humor in his voice.

Lee smiled as tears filled his eyes again. He removed the small covering from his finger, then held it up.

Gaara gasped. “Lee, is that my handwriting tattooed on your finger?!”

Lee laughed. “It is! I wanted to have a constant reminder of it.”

“Lee, it’s beautiful. I can’t believe you did that... I love you so much.”

“I love you, too! And I wanted to get it on my middle finger because… because hopefully someday I will have a ring on the other finger. And I did not want your words to be covered up.’

Gaara smiled warmly. “Oh, you’ll have a ring alright. Just wait.”

Lee smiled as a tear rolled down his face. 

They continued to talk for an hour before Gaara finally sent him to bed after his fiftieth yawn. His finger stung slightly, especially because he had taken the bandage off too soon, but it was nothing compared to the warmth in his heart. Gaara loved him, and now he had a permanent reminder of that.


	13. Almost There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The championship is coming up soon, and Lee is given the option to go home early. He struggles to make a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW for a panic attack

Weeks passed as Lee’s tattoo began to heal. He made sure to keep it protected and moisturized, especially as it began to scab over. There was a potential for the ink to come off when that happened, and Lee couldn’t risk that. It was his most important tattoo.

As he sat on the plane to travel to the last country of their trip, he thought back on the previous weeks. He had worked hard, throwing himself into skating and his programs back home. Everything was running as it should be. Lee was glad, but didn’t have time to be proud of himself. He had too much work to do. 

He looked down at his hand and rubbed a gentle thumb over the dark ink of Gaara’s tight, neat handwriting. He had been nothing but supportive the whole time Lee was on his trip. He wasn’t sure why he had ever doubted that he would feel any differently. It was a good lesson to Lee that he should never hesitate to talk to Gaara about anything. He was always supportive of anything he wanted to do.

As the plane took off, Lee thought back to one of the last conversations they had before Lee got on the plane. Lee had learned that there was an option for him to return home early. If he didn’t want to participate in the championship, he could skip the last few competitions and go home with what he had already won. 

“I just feel that I have mostly accomplished my dream. And I really miss you,” Lee had said after telling Gaara of this.

“Lee, you’re joking, right?” Gaara asked.

“No, I am not. I am just saying it would not be the worst thing for me to leave early. It might be the best, seeing as I would be able to see you again.”

“Lee, it might not be the worst thing, but haven’t you always put your all into everything you do? You’re already there, it’s only a month longer, and I don’t want you to regret this decision. Don’t give up your dream or do anything less than your best for my sake,” Gaara lightly scolded, his voice quiet, but firm.

Tears had filled Lee’s eyes. Part of him had wanted Gaara to agree, maybe even insist that he came home. Another part of him had wanted what Gaara had just said, a reminder that Lee needed to put his all into this championship and return home as nothing less than the winner. 

“You are right, love. You always are.”

The flight attendants began their safety presentation, snapping Lee out of his thoughts. He could be on a flight back home right now. He felt torn. He wasn't sure if he was happy or disappointed that he was prolonging his trip by another month. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to sleep next to Gaara. It made him panic, but he knew that he would be doing it again soon. He just had to push through another month and they would be together again. 

Lee put on a movie as all of the lights dimmed in the plane cabin. They wouldn’t be in the air long, not even long enough for Lee to finish his movie, but he needed some sort of distraction. His anxiety had come and gone in waves. The past few weeks he had been lucky. There was nothing more than the usual thrum of anxiousness. But he could feel something more creeping up on him. It might have been because of the upcoming championship. It could have been caused by the irregularity in his schedule. Whatever it was, Lee could feel it bubbling in the pit of his stomach. He dreaded the day it all came spilling over. 

Unable to focus on one thing for too long, Lee listened to the movie in the background and continued to stare at the tattoo on his finger. He couldn’t wait until he could hear Gaara say those words again. Of course, he had heard it while he was gone. Through text, over the phone, and through video chat. But being able to hear him say it while also feeling it was something completely different. He just wanted to be able to run his fingers over Gaara’s cheek. To kiss his forehead. To hold his hand. 

Lee’s fingers drummed his knees as he thought. He pulled up the shader on his window, looking out at the fluffy cloud covering beneath him. He wondered what it would be like to fly. The first thing he would do would be to fly home. It would make everything easier. He could fly home, then fly back, maybe even with Gaara in his arms. Flying would solve all of his problems. It would even help him skate better.

Lee laughed lightly to himself, enjoying the image of carrying Gaara as they soared through the air. The person next to him cleared their throat. He was being too loud. He smiled apologetically at them, then turned back to his movie. They would be back on the ground within the next hour. He could hold still until that time.

At least he had thought he could. But after his third trip to the bathroom, he could tell that his fellow passengers were really starting to get annoyed. They probably thought he had some terrible stomach virus. But Lee didn’t care. He was too anxious to notice. As he sat back down for the last time, the seatbelt sign turned on. They were finally landing.

As he stepped off the plane, he was relieved that he was both back on the ground, and that the next time he landed he would be home. He reunited with Tenten, Tsunade, and Naruto, as they began to walk through the airport to make their way to their last place of residence. 

“So, how you feelin’ about the championship?” Naruto asked, keeping up with Lee’s fast pace.

“I am feeling alright. I am looking forward to going back home,” Lee said, offering him a tight smile. He had grown to like Naruto. He was like the annoying younger brother Lee had never had. And, at his core, he was actually very caring and funny. You just had to get past his brash personality.

“Yeah, I bet. It’s about time you and that red-headed hottie got back together, right?” Naruto said, jabbing Lee’s side as he laughed.

“Right,” Lee said, laughing along lightly. Normally he would be annoyed with Naruto bringing Gaara up, but right now it was a welcome distraction. Lee took a deep breath and continued to walk through the large airport. 

“What are you planning on doing once the trip is over?” Lee asked, looking over at Naruto.

“Eh, I’m not really sure. Tsunade wants me to tour with her again, but I don’t think I want to be an assistant anymore, you know? If I’m gonna have a job involved in skating, I’m gonna want to actually skate. Not just carry around skateboards all day.”

“Is there any chance that she would let you join as a competitor?” 

Naruto scoffed. “Yeah right. Me and the grandma don’t really get along the greatest. I love her to death, but I don’t think I could handle having her as my coach.” Naruto got quieter. “I’d really like to do some good in the world, too, ya know? I want to make a difference. I want people to acknowledge me and not just see me as some loser who does nothing but skate all day.”

Lee nodded. “I understand that. That is why I started the skate program. I wanted to be able to turn my hobby into something that could make a difference.”

Naruto paused. “D’ya think there would ever… I don’t know… be more room in that skate program of yours? Maybe something I could do to help out? I’m pretty good with kids.”

They stepped outside of the airport where a car was waiting for them. 

“I think so! I am unable to pay you as it is a volunteer program, but it would be great to have a fresh, young skater join the program! Gaara does not skate, Kakashi is always too tired, and Gai cannot skate like he used to. I think you would be a great fit!” Lee beamed at Naruto.

“Shucks, really?” Naruto asked, scratching the back of his head. “That sounds great! Course I would need to find an actual job, too, but I would love to help out!”

They put their luggage in the car then slid into the back seat. Tsunade claimed the front. Lee squeezed into the middle between Naruto and Tenten.

“You know, I may know of a job that you would enjoy,” Lee said, resting his hands on his knees.

“Really?” Naruto asked excitedly, leaning forward in his seat.

“Yes! My friend Neji and his boyfriend Kankuro, who happens to be Gaara’s brother funnily enough, run a skate shop together! They have been managing it themselves, but things have gotten busy enough that I think they could use an extra person! Right, Tenten?”

“Mm, I don’t know. Neji is kind of… difficult to work with,” she replied.

“Ha, as if I’m not an excellent worker and one of the most charismatic people in the world,” Naruto replied, jamming a thumb into his chest.

Tsunade burst out laughing in the front seat, scaring the driver. He swerved slightly as Tsunade apologized. 

“Naruto, that’s a fucking lie and you know it.”

Naruto puffed his cheeks out. “Whatever, grandma. You’re just hard to work with.”

By the time they arrived in the parking lot of the hotel, Naruto and Tsunade were still arguing. Lee was starting to get a headache. He jumped out of the car as quickly as he possibly could, grabbing his luggage and racing toward the front desk. He checked himself in, without waiting for Tenten, then raced to his hotel room. He dropped his luggage on the floor, sent Tenten a quick apology text, then slammed his body into the bed. He breathed heavily into a pillow, attempting to calm himself down. The argumentative energy in the car had gotten to him. He could feel the anxious pit in his stomach getting dangerously full. He needed to be alone.

He wouldn’t be able to enjoy the peace for very long. Tsunade had scheduled a training that day, only hours after they had arrived. She was dedicated to winning the championship, and she wouldn’t let Tenten or Lee slack off in any capacity. Wanting to calm himself down as quickly as possibly, Lee stripped his clothes, then hopped into the shower. He stood under the burning spray, scrubbing his hair and body. He inhaled the steam and massaged his temples. Even though he was now clean, he sat on the floor of the shower, pulling himself into a ball as the hot water turned his skin pink. He let it flood his ears, muffling the sound of the water and creating a white noise in his head. Whenever the water cooled down, Lee would adjust the temperature until it was hot again. When it would no longer stay warm, Lee turned the water off and stepped out of the shower.

He scrubbed his hair dry, and looked into the mirror. His cheeks were bright red, and his eyes were puffy. Had he been crying? He hadn’t noticed if he was. He shook his head and breathed deeply. After wrapping his towel around his waist, he stepped out into the hotel room, noticing its details for the first time since he had arrived. 

It was a combination of the past three he had been in. It was lavish and fancy, a beautiful crystal lamp in the corner and plush bathrobes hanging in the small closet. He had only ever gotten one before. For some reason this time around he had two. Perhaps it was due to the fact that the bed was the biggest he had ever had. Lee was sure that he could fit four, maybe even five people on it.

Even with its elegance, the room still managed to be homey. Light cream curtains covered the sliding glass door that led to his balcony. Warm sunlight filtered in through it, casting a warm glow through the room. A large, plush comforter sat on top of the bed. Several squishy pillows had been placed over it. A soft, maroon loveseat was pushed against one wall, tying the red accents around the room together. 

He pulled his suitcase from where it had been haphazardly thrown on the floor and set it on said loveseat. He would organize things more later, but right now it seemed pointless. He pulled out a comfortable outfit, then got dressed for training. He did a few quick stretches, loosening his muscles from their usual traveling tightness, then laid back on the bed. He had a few minutes for a quick nap before they had to rush off to skate once again. He closed his eyes sleepily, wishing more than anything that he was in his own bed with Gaara next to him. Maybe he should have just gone home.

Lee squeezed his eyes tighter at the thought. There was no sense in regretting his decision, seeing as he was already there. He had only weeks left until he could see Gaara again. For now he needed to focus on his training and the championship. He did his best to relax before they had to leave.

Once it was time to go, Tenten grabbed Lee from his room. He rubbed his crusted eyes and breathed a shuddered breath. He felt a lot calmer than he had earlier, but he still wasn’t feeling his best. He hoped that he would be able to talk to Gaara that night. It always helped him feel better. How had he gone the past three months without him?

Skating helped Lee center his thoughts more. He and Tsunade had now grown more comfortable with each other’s styles, so their trainings were much more fluid and helpful. Tsunade was harder on Lee, something he was responsive to, and only offered Tenten helpful suggestions or ideas. Tsunade had ended up being a much better coach than Lee had ever expected. No wonder Kakashi had suggested her.

They continued to skate daily over the course of that month. They trained for hours to the point where both Lee and Tenten were exhausted. Even Tsunade had gotten on her board a few times. They trained all week, then competed on Sundays. Tenten and Lee had somehow managed to continue their winning streak. 

Despite his success, Lee continued to grow more and more anxious, the stress of the past few months and the looming championship causing him stress. He would often find himself feeling nauseous throughout the day and unable to sleep at night. He hid this from Gaara knowing it would only make him worry. He kept thinking of all the times he had tried to keep things from Gaara. Each one failed miserably, but he tried his best to forget about those. If Gaara wasn’t here, he wouldn’t find out. There was no sense in worrying him when there was nothing he could do. The best thing for Lee would be to train as hard as possible. Skating always helped him feel better.

A week before his last competition, Lee found himself at the top of a skate ramp for the eighth hour that day. His left arm was wrapped in a thick, bulky bandage to limit movement. A nasty wreck the week before had re-sprained his arm, it being more prone to accidents due to an old injury. Tsunade had suggested a day off, but Lee declined. He would just be careful with it, or skate in pain. He didn’t have time to relax. He could do that when he got home. 

His legs dangled over the edge as he tightened the bandage around his arm. He pulled it with his teeth, then stuck it into place, bending his fingers to make sure he hadn’t restricted his movement too much. Looking down at them, he noticed that his middle finger had been covered. He pulled the bandage down just enough to show Gaara’s handwriting. He smiled, wiggling his finger as he read the permanent reminder etched onto his skin. 

As he stood to continue practice, his muscles groaned in protest. He knew that he should at least be attempting to rest, but he was worried that if he did he would ruin his chance of winning. So he continued to skate, well past the time when Tsunade and Tenten had left. She had tried to convince Lee to leave, even begging at one point, but he refused. He began to grow frustrated, upset that Tenten couldn’t see how important it was for him to keep training. 

Once she had left, he only missed her. He remembered how much he missed her every time she would leave for a trip and how once they got home she would leave again, this time without Lee. He thought about Gai and Kakashi and how much they loved their family. He thought about Gaara and his siblings, Neji, and Shikadai. He missed them each so much. 

Tears sprung to his eyes as he dropped himself over the ledge on his board. He continued to practice, his vision slightly blurred with moisture. He knew that his emotions were only heightened because of his anxiety. He hated how it changed the way he felt. He did his best to ignore it, but couldn’t shake the feeling it gave him. So, he would just train harder, to the point of exhaustion, even. He wouldn’t let it get in the way of his success. 

After another hour of training, Lee had to leave. The center was closing for the night and he wasn’t able to convince the owners to let him stay longer. He made his way slowly back to the hotel, opting to walk rather than find a taxi. Even walking could be considered training. He thought about running, but was worried that his legs would give out. So he walked, making his way down the foreign streets until he finally found himself back at his hotel. He stepped up the stairs to his room, his legs wobbling from the effort.

He opened the door to his room, the cool air rushing over his sweaty body. His aching body finally found relief when he collapsed onto his bed, breathing heavily. His heart found relief when he opened his phone to see that Gaara had texted him.

Gaara

“Hi, love. How was training? I heard that you’re pushing yourself too hard. Why is that?”

Lee frowned. Tenten must have texted Gaara. He knew he was making her worry, but he wished that she would have left Gaara out of it. He sighed, flopping the phone onto the bed and scrubbing has hands over his face. After attempting to breathe for a few moments, he picked his phone back up to answer Gaara’s text.

Lee

“I am frustrated and do not want to mess anything up. I want to win. But it does not matter. I will be fine. Please tell me how you are.”

After sending his text, he placed his phone back onto the cushiony bed, deciding to get up and change. Lee groaned as he stood from the bed, removing his sweaty clothing. Seconds later, his phone went off again. He took off his shirt, throwing it to the ground, then picked his phone back up.

Gaara

“Please don’t try to change the subject. I want you to talk to me. Why are you frustrated?”

Lee

“If you really want to know, it is because my anxiety is making me feel worse. It always does. And I am tired of it.”

Gaara

“Of course I want to know. I’m sorry it’s getting so bad. You’re doing great in spite of it, Lee. You always do. I know you’re doing your absolute best, and that’s the most important thing, okay?”

Lee sniffed as a tear rolled down his cheek. He wasn’t sure when he had started crying. His brain felt foggy.

Lee

“If I do not win this championship then everything will have gone to waste. I would rather have never left you in the first place.”

Gaara

“Lee, listen to me. Nothing will go to waste. You’ve had fun, spent time with Tenten, and you’ve been very, very successful. The outcome of this one event doesn’t determine your worth or this trip.”

Lee swiped at the tears rolling down his face.

Lee

“I guess so. I still would like to win.”

Gaara

“I know you do. And I want you to win, too. But it’s not worth making yourself sick over, okay? You can do this. And even if you don’t, I still love you.”

Lee took a deep breath. He sat back down on his bed as he continued to message Gaara. Slowly, he calmed down. He still felt nauseous and knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep for a while, even with all of the training he had done that day. Regardless, talking to Gaara had helped him feel better.

Gaara

“Lee, can you do me a favor?”

Lee

“Anything.”

Gaara

“Only train for four hours tomorrow. Four. That’s it. I told Tenten about this, she’ll know if you train more than that. Tsunade wants you to take a break, as do Tenten and I. Please, Lee. For my sake. Take a break, okay?”

Lee grimaced at his phone. How was he supposed to take a break? The championship was in two weeks. He sat trying to figure out a way to get out of Gaara’s challenge. His phone went off again.

Gaara

“Lee, I know you’re going to try and get out of this. You can’t. I need you to take care of yourself. That means slowing down a bit. Do you promise that you’ll do that?

Lee sighed.

Lee

“I promise, Gaara. I will do my best to take it easy tomorrow. But I cannot stop training altogether.”

Gaara

“That’s okay, Lee. Four hours is all I’m asking. Have you eaten today?”

Lee placed a light hand over his nauseous stomach. He hadn’t eaten much, but he didn’t know if he could. He would try though, for Gaara at least.

Lee

“I will order something now. I am sorry for making you worry.”

Gaara

“Lee, I only worry because I love you. Go get some food and take a shower, then text me again, okay?”

Lee

“Okay. I love you, Gaara.”

Lee set his phone down on his bed. He picked up the hotel phone and called the kitchen, ordering something small for his dinner. Once he was assured that they would begin preparing it, he quickly grabbed everything he would need to shower. If he showered while he was waiting for his food, he would be able to message Gaara sooner. 

He had timed everything perfectly. As soon as he finished getting dressed in his sleeping clothes, he heard a knock at the door. A hotel staff member gave him his dinner, then shuffled away. He set the tray on his bedside table, then messaged Gaara.

Lee

“I am showered and just got my food. Will you please tell me about your day?”

Gaara

“I’m glad. My day has been slow so far. Nothing exciting to report.”

Lee smiled and took a few bites of his food as he continued to message Gaara. Being able to talk to him made everything worth it. Gaara continued to talk to Lee, telling him about a case he was working on and how excited it made him. Gaara’s passion was familiar to Lee and helped him feel more centered. He continued to eat, messaging Gaara and trying to keep his mind off of the championship and skating overall. 

Once he had finished eating, and reassured Gaara that he was okay and feeling much better, he said goodnight. He got off the bed, setting his now empty tray onto his desk and taking a minute to just breathe. Deciding to finally go to bed, he made sure everything was prepared for the next day, stretched his aching muscles, and reluctantly rewrapped his arm. Once he could no longer keep his eyes open, he slipped under the covers and fell into a dreamless sleep.

The next day, he kept his promise to Gaara and only trained for four hours. Even if he had tried to train for longer, Tenten would have stopped him. She practically manhandled him off of the ramp as soon as four hours were up, even though he would have gotten off willingly. Even with her aggression, it helped Lee feel cared for, so he didn’t mind. 

The days following, she let him train for longer, but was vigilant in ensuring that he took care of himself and didn’t train longer than they planned to. Even though Lee wanted to train as he possibly could, he was glad that he had Tenten and Gaara to keep him from doing too much. He wasn’t always good at taking things easy, especially when he had an injury.

On the day of the last competition before the championship, Lee opted to remove his wrappings and just skate without it. He reasoned that he had skated with it all week. He would be fine to do one little routine without it causing any problems. Tenten thought otherwise.

“Lee, you really need to wrap your arm. What will you do if you hurt it more?” she asked, following Lee as he made his way to the ramp.

“Tenten, you worry too much. I may have injured myself, but my body is strong. It will not happen again.”

“Lee, this was a past injury getting hurt again. Don’t be ridiculous, and put the wrap on,” she pleaded, grabbing at his good arm with her hand. Lee pulled away from her, a tight smile on his face.

“Tenten, I appreciate your concern, but I do not need to be treated like a child. I will be just fine.”

He walked past her without another word, his fingers shaking slightly as he clipped his helmet underneath his chin. He heard Tenten huff behind him, but ignored it. She didn’t understand. He couldn’t show that he was injured the week before the championship. They might disqualify him. Lee had never heard of that happening, but he didn’t want to take any risks.

He climbed to the top of the tall ramp, his vision tunneling as he tried to calm his racing heart. This was the last chance he had before the championship. Everything was riding on this one routine. If he messed up, there was a possibility that he wouldn’t be able to compete that next week. The sponsorship would be gone, the prize money would be given to someone else, and he would disappoint everyone around him

He drew a shuddery breath as he placed his skateboard on the ledge, dropping down as soon as the buzzer sounded. Normally when he skated, he was able to tune out the sounds of the crowd. But today, he was painfully aware of just how many people were around him. He didn’t want to disappoint them, too. He pushed himself toward the opposite side of the ramp, rolled up, and decided to start fairly simple with an invert. As soon as he placed his left arm down to flip his body over, he felt a twinge of pain run through it. He stumbled slightly, but was able to somehow make it back on his board. He rolled up the opposite side, taking a moment to recover from the pain, then continued doing the tricks he had planned. Suddenly, he began to second guess all of them. His ears rang as he continued to skate. 

He had messed up. He wasn’t going to win. He just threw away his shot at the championship.

Once his time was up, he rolled back up the ramp, immediately walking down without hearing his score. He already knew that he lost.

“Lee!” Tenten said, running up to him and smiling. Her eyes were full of concern, though she tried to hide it. “You did great! How do you feel?”

Lee gave her a slightly manic grin. “I feel wonderful, Tenten. Especially seeing as I just ruined my shot at the championship.”

“Oh, no you didn’t kid. You may have stumbled a bit, but so what. Your previous scores are good enough to more than make up for the half point that it’s going to cost you,” Tsunade said, placing her hand on Tenten’s shoulder and smiling at Lee. “Don’t stress about it. All these other skaters fuck up enough that the judges most likely didn’t even notice.”

Lee kept smiling his strained smile, but said nothing. His ears continued to ring.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the awards were finally announced. Tenten hadn’t competed that night, so they were only waiting on Lee’s results. She bounced on the tips of her toes as they waited. Lee stood extremely still, barely breathing.

“And in fourth place, we have Rock Lee!”

Tenten jumped and clapped, hugging Lee around his middle. But Lee wasn’t excited. He lost. He had ruined his perfect streak. He might have even ruined his shot at the championship.

Tenten pushed him toward the podium. He began to walk, feeling like he was trudging through mud. He stepped up, took pictures, shook the judges hands, then left. Tsunade would get the prize money. They would get back to the hotel just fine. Lee needed to leave.

As soon as he stepped outside of the stadium doors, he began to sprint. He knew he was being childish. He knew that realistically he would still be able to compete in the championship and that this didn’t affect anything. But he had wanted to come to make his loved ones proud. And he was failing them. And it wasn’t just that. It was all of the emotions he had felt the last four months finally accumulating and burying him in their weight. It had suddenly become too much to bear. He would be home soon with Gaara. But he couldn’t focus on that. In this moment, he was only painfully aware of the past.

Tears ran down his eyes as he burst into the lobby of the hotel, making his way up to his floor by the stairs. He jammed his key card into the slot with some difficulty, due to his shaking hands. He sobbed, then finally threw the door open, throwing his things on the floor. He shook as he raked his hands through his hair, pulling on the strands as his breathing began to quicken. A stitch formed in his side, a familiar pain that always spoke of a panic attack. Lee threw himself haphazardly onto the large hotel bed, curling into a ball as he shook.

“I am so sorry,” he whispered over and over again, apologizing to no one for something he didn’t need to be sorry for. Gaara always told him he apologized too much. Lee sobbed.

He thought back to a panic attack he had a few months ago. Gaara had been there. He had talked him down from it. He had held him and told him that he loved him. Gaara. Gaara always helped him. He needed Gaara right now. 

He sat up and jammed his hand into his pocket, pulling his phone out and clicking Gaara’s contact. He paused for a moment, only long enough to ensure that he wouldn’t be waking him up. As soon as he realized that it was far into the morning back at home, he dialed the phone.

“Please, please, please,” Lee repeated to himself as he waited for Gaara to pick up. After a few rings, he was sent to voicemail. Lee frowned, then looked at his phone. Gaara always picked up. Was something wrong? 

He dialed again, hoping that he was just in a meeting or doing something else. Lee continued to hyperventilate. After getting his voicemail again, Lee’s panic heightened. Something was wrong with Gaara. He needed to be checked on, but Lee couldn’t do that. He opened his phone again and dialed Kakashi’s number.

“Yo,” Kakashi said, his low, even voice crackling from distance.

“Kakashi,” Lee sobbed, his phone squishing the tears on his face. “Wh-what is wrong with Gaara?”

“Lee? What’s wrong, what happened?” Kakashi asked, panic in his usually calm voice.

“I-I tr-tried to call Ga-ara, but he w-will not p-pick up,” Lee managed to stutter.

“Hey, Lee, calm down, nothing’s wrong. He… had to go on a last minute business trip and wasn’t able to tell you. He’ll be on a plane for a bit and won’t be able to talk on the phone for a while. But he’ll call you when he lands, I promise.”

Lee frowned, trying to calm his breathing so his side wouldn’t hurt. “If h-he could not tell m-me, how d-did you f-find out?”

“Temari told us. Lee, are you okay? What’s going on, son? You need to take a deep breath. Have you taken your medication yet?”

Lee took as big of a breath as he could manage, then shook his head. “N-no.”

“Okay. Let’s get that medicine, then we can talk about it, okay? I want you to go get it and tell me everything you’re doing.”

“O-okay. I am getting up from the bed.”

Lee rummaged through his stuff, located his medicine, and took it, making sure to tell Kakashi what he was doing the entire time. Once he had taken it, Kakashi told him to change into more comfortable clothes. Once he had, he sat on the bed. His breathing had calmed down, but tears continued to stream down his face.

“Okay, Lee, are you ready to tell me what happened?” Kakashi asked, his voice calm, but hinted with concern.

“I am just so tired, dad,” Lee gasped, wiping his face. “So much has happened in the last few months and I only have a partial support system. I lost the competition tonight and I am worried that they will not let me in the championship. And I miss Gaara.”

Kakashi stayed quiet while Lee continued to talk. He let everything out, all of his frustration and worries from the past few months, even some from before then. Once he was done, he sat quietly, breathing deeply. He had stopped crying.

“I’m really sorry you’re having such a tough time, kiddo. Anxiety’s always given you a run for your money, huh? But you know what, Lee?’

Lee sniffed. “What?”

“You’re still living your dream. And you still have an amazing boyfriend and a great career. You’ve never let your anxiety stop you. I’m really proud of you for that.”

Lee felt a weight lift off his chest. “Really?”

“Of course. And so is Gai. We are both very proud to be your dads. You’re an incredible kid. Well, I guess you’re an adult now. But still.”

Lee laughed lightly, his voice nasally and thick. “Thank you, Kakashi. That really means a lot.”

“I love you, Lee. Are you gonna be okay?”

Lee took another deep breath. “I think so. I am going to talk to Tenten since I left the competition so quickly, then probably take a shower. Do you know when Gaara will be able to talk?”

Kakashi sighed. “I don’t. Sorry. But I’m sure he’ll call you as soon as he can. Go get some rest, kid. Don’t be too hard on yourself, okay? Remember why you started skating in the first place.”

“Okay. I will do my best. Thank you. I love you.”

“Love you too. Good night.”

Lee said goodnight, then hung up the phone. Not wanting to face Tenten, he pulled up her contact to text her.

Lee

“I am so sorry for taking off like that. It was a childish thing to do. Is everything okay?”

Ten

“I should be asking you that, Lee. What’s going on?”

Lee sighed. He had made Tenten worry. He felt awful.

Lee

“I got overwhelmed and panicked. I thought I had ruined my chances of going to the championship.”

Ten

“Lee, you still placed well enough to make it into the championship. Tsunade wanted me to let you know that we will be practicing the next two days, then the championship is on Wednesday. Are you okay?”

Lee sighed, upset that he had overreacted. As Kakashi had said, everything worked out fine. They texted back and forth for a few more minutes. Lee told her about Gaara being gone and talking to Kakashi. When she offered to stay with him for the night, he declined. They would meet for breakfast the next morning. For now, Lee just needed to shower and rest.

The next two days of training were difficult for Lee. His arm was hurting and he was exhausted. He did his best and pushed himself as hard as Tenten would let him. He had very mixed feelings. He would be flying home within the next week, regardless of whether he won the championship or not. Knowing he would see Gaara soon made him miss him even more. But he was also going to miss this. He loved being able to skate with Tenten and spend time on new adventures. He tried to focus on skating only, knowing that anything else he thought of would only make him hurt.

On the last day of training before the championship, Lee sat on the edge of the ramp, his fingers wrapped tightly on the ledge. Someone walked up behind him, but he didn’t turn around.

“You know, I’m really proud of you,” he heard Tsunade say as she sat down next to him. “You’ve done a really great job. Even better than I thought you would.”

Lee hummed in response.

“I’m not just talking about skating, either. I know you deal with a lot of mental shit. Kakashi gave me a thorough list,” she said with a chuckle. “But you’ve managed to come out here in spite of that. Even if you had lost every single competition I would be proud of you. Plus, you’ve given Naruto a lot of hope. He’s really looking forward to working in that skate program of yours.”

They looked down at Naruto as he attempted to do a handstand on his skateboard like Lee always did.

Lee smiled softly. “Thank you for everything. I am very glad to see that Tenten will be in capable hands once I am no longer skating with her.” Tears filled his eyes, but he blinked them away. He didn’t want to cry anymore.

“I’ll take care of her. Don’t worry about it,” she said, patting his shoulder reassuringly. “How are you feeling about tomorrow?”

Lee gripped the side of the ramp tighter. “Nervous.”

Tsunade chuckled. “I would be more concerned if you weren’t. You’re gonna do amazing, kid. I can promise you that. Just skate and have fun. That’s what really matters.”

Lee nodded. “I will do my best. I promise. I will not let you down.”

Tsunade shook her head. “You could never let me down, Lee. Now come on. Let’s go get some rest before tomorrow.”

She stood and offered Lee her hand. They began to make their way down to where Tenten was trying to help Naruto. They all left together, Tenten’s hand in Lee’s.

As they walked, he set his face into a determined stare. All of the skating he had done in his life had led up to tomorrow. He wasn’t going to let anyone, especially himself, down.


	14. The Championship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee is still having a hard time getting in touch with Gaara, but he has other things to focus on. The championship is today.

Lee woke up the next morning with what felt like a ball of lead in his stomach. He cracked his eyes open and looked across the large bed toward the night stand. In red neon letters, the alarm clock told him that it was only five in the morning. He sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. He had no chance of going back to sleep, and the championship started in five hours. He might as well get up for the day.

He breathed evenly, attempting to get himself into a peaceful mind set. As he showered, he ran through his routine in his head. He had improvised for a good majority of his competitions, but Tsunade had wanted to plan something out with him for this last one. According to everyone who watched it, it was a show stopper. Lee really hoped so.

Once he was showered, he stepped out of the steamy bathroom and back into the large hotel room. He grabbed his phone and sat back on the bed, waiting to get dressed. He pulled out his phone to text Gaara.

Lee

“Hello, love. Today is the championship. I am very nervous, but I will do my best. For you.”

Lee sat and waited for a response. It was the late afternoon back at home, only an hour or two before Gaara would leave work for the day. It wouldn’t take him too long to answer.

As he waited, he pulled up his camera folder and began flipping through pictures of Gaara. It had grown sparse in the past few months. The only pictures Lee had been able to add were the ones Gaara had sent him. He didn’t like taking pictures very much, so he hadn’t sent Lee many. But that was okay. Lee would have plenty of photo opportunities soon.

As he flipped through, he started to think of everything he wanted to do when he got home. He was excited to get back to work and run his programs again. He was excited to start the skate program again and see his family and friends. More than anything, he was excited to see Gaara and finally, finally get to propose.

Lee smiled as he thought of the proposal. He still wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. He had initially planned to propose in the airport, but he now felt like that wouldn’t be the right time. He had some time to decide, but he didn’t want to take too long. He had already waited four months. If everything went right, Lee would be proposing to Gaara within a week of being home from his trip.

Lee racked his brain for any significant memories or details in their relationship that he could use while proposing. The only problem was that, to Lee, all of those details and memories were significant. He could never pick just one favorite. It wouldn’t be fair to all of the others.

Lee sat back up in bed, resting his chin in his hand. What were some things Gaara liked that Lee could incorporate into the proposal?

He liked succulents. Puzzles. The kids he worked with. Lee.

He smiled at that last thought.

He continued to think, his tired eyes blinking slowly as his mind raced. He thought that Gaara might enjoy a proposal that involved the foster kids he worked with, but Lee didn’t know if that would be allowed or how he would even organize that. It would take much longer than a week, that was for sure. And Gaara already had plenty of succulents. Well, at least in Lee’s opinion. 

Lee dropped his fist into his other hand just as a light bulb went off in his head. Puzzles! He could easily plan a proposal surrounding puzzles. He could get a simple puzzle, write out “Will you marry me?” on each part, then leave the final piece in the ring box! Then he would get down on one knee, tell Gaara why he loved him, and ask for his hand in marriage!

Lee teared up at the thought. What a perfectly romantic gesture! He could even get Gaara some flowers or cook him a romantic dinner. He would plan all of that when he got home. For now, he had a plan, and that was all that mattered. All of the details would fall into place once he got home. He just had to get past this one last event. 

Lee snapped out of his thoughts to realize that Gaara hadn’t texted him back yet. He frowned and looked at his phone, making sure he had the time right. He did. Lee opened his work chat app and sent Gaara a quick message. He might have been in a meeting, or his phone might have died. Lee set the phone down next to him, then continued to sit patiently. 

After waiting ten minutes with no reply, Lee gave up. He reasoned that Gaara was busy with his business trip and that he would get back to him as soon as he could. He had been able to text him a few times in the past few days, but he was in and out of service a lot. Lee hadn’t been able to get many details about his work trip, but Kakashi, Gai, and even Temari had reassured him that Gaara was fine. Lee was glad that he would be going home soon. The communication struggles were really starting to get to him.

He stood from the bed and stretched, clearing the cobwebs that had built up in his mind and body. After shaking out his limbs, he began to dress for the day. Tenten had managed to snag him a new pair of Vans, red fabric with green bottoms, that perfectly matched the outfit he wanted to wear. He slipped it on, then put Gaara’s ring around his neck. He kissed it twice, then slipped it under his shirt. It had quickly become his good luck charm. He was almost disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to wear it for much longer. Almost. Knowing that Gaara would be wearing it was even better. 

He slipped his shirt on, smoothing it out and looking at the clock. It was now seven. They would leave in about an hour, which meant he had time to kill. He had managed to keep the nerves at bay for now, and wanted it to stay that way. He began to bounce on the tips of his toes as he tried to decide what to do. As he was about to drop to the floor to do push ups, he heard a knock at the door.

“Lee, let’s paint our nails!” Tenten said, rattling a small bag at him once he opened the door. She was fully ready, dressed in her nicest skater outfit, which was still pretty grungey. She had braided her hair up into two buns on top of her head, her signature style with a twist. Lee, experiencing a sudden burst of excitement at seeing his sister, pulled her tightly into him, squeezing her and squishing the bag between them.

“Hi, Lee,” she said with a laugh. She pulled back and ruffled his still damp hair.

“Hi, Ten! We made it! Can you believe it?”

“I’m so excited! But, I’m also super nervous. I thought a distraction would be nice!” she said, rattling the small bag again. Lee stepped back with a grand sweep of his arm to let her into the room. She stepped inside, then plopped herself on top of the large, plush bed. Lee sat next to her, tucking his hands into his lap.

“So, you paint mine, I’ll paint yours?” Tenten asked, rummaging through her bag. Lee loved it when they painted each other’s nails. It was something they did often when they were younger, but had recently become something Tenten only did when she was feeling particularly affectionate.

“Sure!” 

Tenten pulled out a deep red polish and handed it to Lee. He shook the bottle, then opened it, wiping the excess off the brush before beginning to apply it to Tenten’s nails.

“So, have you talked to Gaara yet today?” Tenten asked, watching Lee as he carefully painted.

Lee frowned. “No. He is still on his business trip, so I have not been able to talk to him much.”

Tenten paused. “That’s too bad. You know he’s proud of you, right?”

Lee glanced up from her hand. “I do. It is hard for me to remember sometimes, but I think that I am doing him a disservice if I believe otherwise.”

Tenten smiled at him and used her free hand to tap his middle finger. Lee smiled and nodded. It had been helpful to have a visual reminder that Gaara loved him whenever he needed it. Reassurance was something that Lee needed a lot of, and it was good for him to recognize that if Gaara didn’t truly love him, there would have been no way he would have tattooed something so personal and specific on his body. He just needed to trust Gaara, and himself. 

Once Lee had finished Tenten’s nails, she spread them out to admire them. 

“Lee, you did such a great job! You didn’t even get paint on my cuticles!”

Lee laughed. “I do my best. I have had a lot of practice between doing your nails and doing Gaara’s.”

“Oh, yeah, everytime Gaara wears nail polish he looks like a scene kid,” Tenten said, snort-laughing.

Lee tried to hide his smile as he swatted at her. “He does not! He looks very handsome.”

They continued to playfully argue for a few more minutes while Tenten’s nails dried. Once they were done, Lee picked a black polish for Tenten to coat his nails with. She made quick work of it, painting them precisely. By the time she had finished, it was time for them to leave. 

Lee’s stomach fluttered as he grabbed his things and they made their way down to the hotel lobby. Tenten buzzed next to him with nervous energy, bouncing as she walked, unable to hold still while they waited for a car. Lee would have normally reacted the same, but for some reason he was oddly almost calm. He still felt nervous, like he could throw up at any second, but he didn’t feel the impending doom that he had been dealing with the previous month. He felt strangely at peace. Whatever happened today wouldn’t matter. What did matter was that he had done his best and would be back with Gaara within the next week. 

They walked quickly through the doors to the stadium and began heading in the direction of the skate area. They didn’t know when they would be competing yet, but they were able to warm up and get their numbers in preparation for their turns. Tenten began to skip, excited to skate. Lee smiled at her, barely keeping up with her cheerful pace. Tsunade walked several paces behind them with Naruto. They seemed to be discussing something, but Lee couldn’t figure out what. He decided it was probably another petty argument and decided to focus on walking instead. 

They rounded a corner, then began to walk up to a small table where check-in was at. Before they could get there, Tenten slowed down suddenly, looking behind her as she firmly grabbed Lee by the shoulders.

“Wait, Lee, I have a surprise for you,” she said, her voice shaking slightly.

“What is it, Tenten?” he asked, laughing lightly and attempting to turn around.

“No!” she said, holding onto him tighter. “Stay there and don’t move.”

“Tenten, I am not sure what--”

Lee stopped as Tenten’s hands moved and thin arms wound their way around his waist, pressing him into a soft body. He immediately dropped to his knees and began to sob. They were the same arms that had found their way around his waist every time he cooked breakfast back at home. The same arms he had been missing for months.

“Hi, Lee,” a voice said from behind him, following him to the ground.

“Gaara!” he choked out between sobs.

He turned around and there he was. 

Gaara. The man he loved more than anyone. The person who had seen him at his best, and his worst, yet decided to stick with him regardless. The one person that Lee always missed, even if he was only apart from him for a few minutes. He made him feel whole. He was everything to him, and more.

Lee smiled so hard his face hurt. A tight tension that had been in his chest for the past four months exploded away, filling him with an immediate sense of relief. Gaara knelt down in front of him, wiping his tears away.

“How-- why--” Lee tried to speak, but couldn’t bring himself to be able to do it. He gave up and pulled Gaara in close to him, finally finding the comfort he had sought from his arms for far too long. Gaara reciprocated the hold, squeezing Lee as close to him as he could and kissing the top of his head. Lee continued to cry.

“Baby, I missed you so much,” he said, rocking Gaara slightly in his arms.

“I missed you, too,” Gaara whispered, running a hand through Lee’s hair. He pulled back and looked at Lee, smiling widely. Lee leaned in and placed a gentle kiss to Gaara’s lips. It was everything he had been waiting for and more. 

The smell and taste of Gaara was familiar. It was home to him. He had been roaming for months and he had finally found where he belonged once again. Gaara’s thumb rubbed gently over Lee’s cheek, a trail of his tears following behind the arc he had traced. Lee pulled back, then kissed Gaara again, moving to his forehead, then his cheek, then back to his lips. Gaara laughed lightly, but didn’t stop him. He had missed this, too.

After holding Gaara for a few minutes longer, he stood up, pulling Gaara with him. He traced his hands down his arms, grabbing them in his own.

“What are you doing here? Not that I am not happy to see you, but I thought you were going to be on a business trip?” Lee said, tears still spilling from his eyes.

Gaara frowned slightly. “No, I wasn’t. The night you called me I was actually on a plane ride over here. It was a long flight. I’m sorry I had to lie to you. I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Lee smiled and shook his head. “You do not have to be sorry. For anything. This is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me,” he said, crying harder. 

“Lee, you need to calm down,” Gaara whispered, squeezing his hands gently. “Breathe.”

Lee took a deep breath and wiped his tears. 

“I talked to Gai and Kakashi and offered one of them a ticket to fly out here,” Tsunade said, stepping up behind Lee. “They both agreed that it would be better to have Gaara fly out.”

Lee’s eyes widened. “They both gave up their ticket for Gaara?” Lee’s bottom lip quivered, but Gaara squeezed his hands again, redirecting his attention.

“They said that they wouldn’t have been able to agree on who got to go, anyway,” Gaara said, tucking Lee’s hair behind his ear. “Even so, it was very generous of them.”

Lee looked behind Gaara to see Tenten standing there with tears in her eyes.

“Did you know about this?” he asked, turning slightly and intertwining his hand into Gaara’s. She sniffled and nodded her head.

“I’ve known for a few weeks. It’s been really hard to keep it from you.” She laughed lightly. “I’m so happy you guys are together again.”

Gaara stepped away from Lee and gave Tenten a hug. Lee couldn’t fully make it out, but he thought that Gaara had told Tenten that he was proud of her. She squeezed him tighter.

The time between Gaara hugging Tenten and returning back to Lee felt almost too long for him. As soon as he stepped back, he laced their fingers together again. He wasn’t going to let go unless absolutely necessary for the next month. All he could do was stare down at Gaara and smile. He had no more words.

“Alright, I hate to break up this little love fest,” Naruto said from behind Tsunade, “but we have to get you guys checked in.”

Tsunade looked back at him and nodded. She gestured toward the sign-in table and they walked up to get their numbers and skate times. Tenten would be skating within the next hour. Lee skated in just ten minutes. 

He stared at Gaara as he carefully pinned Lee’s number to his shirt. After making sure it was set firmly in place, he looked into Lee’s eyes and smiled.

“Go do what you do best, love. I will be in the crowd cheering you on. You’re going to do amazing.”

Lee smiled so wide that it hurt. He placed a gentle hand on the back of Gaara’s neck, tilting it slightly so he had better access to his lips. He kissed him softly, doing his best to tell Gaara how much he missed him through his actions. Just as Lee began to part his lips, Gaara pulled back, pushing Lee gently.

“Go skate, Lee. Have fun.”

Lee nodded, then kissed him on the forehead again. He hugged Tenten, then Tsunade and Naruto, too. Naruto tried for the same affection Gaara got, but was quickly dodged. He handed Lee his skateboard and helmet, then he was off. He raced toward the ramp, arriving with only minutes to spare. He would have liked to have gotten there earlier, but being a bit late had been worth it.

He jumped up and down a few times, stretching and doing his best to get out some of his nervous energy. He still couldn’t stop smiling. He clutched Gaara’s ring from under his shirt keeping it hidden, not wanting to give away the fact that he was wearing it when Gaara could probably see him. As soon as the skater before him began his routine, Lee stepped up on top of the ramp, rolling his head and shaking his shoulders. It was finally the moment he had been working up to for the past four months. But he no longer had the fear or stress of letting anyone down. He hadn’t even competed yet, and Gaara was proud of him. This championship wouldn’t change that. 

But Lee would be damned if he didn’t give it his all.

As the skater before him rolled back up the ramp at the end of his turn, Lee fist bumped and congratulated him. After wishing Lee good luck, he stepped down, giving Lee the platform. Lee jumped up and down a few times, looking for Gaara while his name was announced. When he finally located a flash of red in the crowd, he kissed his fingers, holding them out to him.

His vision tunneled as his name was called. He set his skateboard on the ledge as he had done so many times in the months previous, and even throughout his entire life. He looked back in Gaara’s direction, smiled, then dropped in.

He knew he had been successful during the past few months. He had worked hard to do the best he possibly could. He was still an amateur, at least in his eyes, but everyone agreed that he skated like a pro.

But this routine. This one was incredible.

Lee skated so fluidly that it seemed like he was flying. He zoned completely into his board, feeling the vibration as the wheels rolled over the smooth wood. His body moved as if all he had ever done was skate. He had joked with Gaara once that maybe he had been a dancer in another life, and that was never truer than it was in this moment. He was dancing on his board.

Even though he was exerting an incredible amount of energy and power, Lee’s breathing stayed deep and even. He didn’t think about everything that had happened in the past few months, or even years of his life. He didn’t even think about what he would do once this championship was over, when he returned home with Gaara and wasn’t competing anymore. All he thought about was the way his skateboard was moving and how the wind rushed past his ears.

The buzzer sounded overhead. It had only felt like seconds, but Lee had been skating for several minutes. He rolled gracefully up the platform, popped his board into his hand, then looked toward the large screen above his head. Now that he was no longer skating, his heart began to beat fast, nervous to see the results. It only took seconds to display.

Tens across the board.

Lee grinned and began to cry, feeling delirious from relief and happiness. It was done. He was finished. He had skated his heart out, and it had all paid off. He wanted to stay humble, but he couldn’t help but feel that he had secured the win for himself. Even if he hadn’t, it didn’t matter. He was going to go sit down with Gaara, hold his hand, and wait for Tenten to skate. And, in Lee’s opinion, there was no greater award than that.

He somehow managed to make his way off the high ramp as tears rolled down his face. Gaara, Tenten, and Tsunade ran up to him. Gaara unclipped his helmet, haphazardly wiped his tears, then pulled him down for a passionate kiss. When he pulled away, Lee’s face felt like it was on fire.

“Lee, that was incredible!” Gaara said, smiling. They continued to stare into each other’s eyes and smile. They heard a low whistle from behind them.

“Man, maybe I could date a redhead,” Naruto said, clapping slowly. “That kiss was hot.”

Lee frowned and looked at Naruto. “Please stop that.”

Naruto put his hands behind his head and puffed his cheeks out. He walked away without another word, probably worried that Lee would deck him in the face, not realizing that if anybody did, it would be Gaara. Lee turned away from Gaara, but made sure to grab his hand. 

“Lee, that was fucking incredible!” Tenten shrieked, throwing her arms around him. “You definitely won the championship!”

Lee laughed and hugged her as best he could without letting go of Gaara. “I sure hope so!”

“I’m proud of you, Lee. But I already was proud of you. You only confirmed that I was right all along,” Tsunade said, smiling at him.

“Thank you, Tsunade. For everything.”

She nodded, then turned away.

“C’mon, kid, it’s almost your turn to skate,” she said, gesturing to Tenten. Lee let go of Gaara’s hand for just a moment to hug Tenten and kiss her forehead. She squeezed Lee tight, then gave Gaara a tiny wave, then walked away with Tsunade.

“Let’s go sit down, Lee,” Gaara said, smiling at him as he tugged his hand. Lee felt his heart being tugged, too. He had missed Gaara so much. He had loved being with Gaara before, but being away from him for so long made him appreciate Gaara’s presence even more. It was calming and reassuring, but also so exciting to be around him. Lee was so in love with him. He couldn’t wait to make Gaara his husband. 

The ring around his neck pressed into his chest as he thought about his proposal. He would work on it as soon as he got home, that way he didn’t have to delay being engaged to him for any longer. He had been waiting his whole life to be married to Gaara. He didn’t want to have to wait any longer.

They sat in the stadium seats, providing a good view of the skate ramp. They had to wait for a while before Tenten began skating, but it gave Lee a chance to watch the other skaters. His knee bounced up and down and his thumb rubbed over Gaara’s hand as they watched. He was nervous, but so far no one had gotten as high of a score as he did. One person came close with two tens and a nine, which gave him a good bout of anxiety, but Gaara helped calm him down. 

Finally, it came time for Tenten to compete. Lee watched as she stepped to the top of the ramp, jumping up and down and shaking her arms out. He squeezed Gaara’s hand tighter, careful to not hurt him. He held his breath as her name was announced and she began to skate. This was the first time he was able to watch her skate from this angle. She was a beautiful skater, always had been and probably always would be. 

“She would be a really good coach,” Gaara said next to him, both of their eyes locked on Tenten.

“I think so, too! We should talk to her about it later,” Lee responded, tearing his eyes from Tenten only long enough to smile at Gaara. After her skate time was complete, she rolled back up the ramp, then stood and waited for her score.

She nailed all tens, just like Lee.

She jumped up in the air, hopping onto Tsunade and hugging her tightly. Lee cheered loudly, pulling Gaara into him in celebration. Gaara just laughed and clapped with Lee. He stood up quickly, grabbing Gaara’s arm and pulling him through the stands so they could congratulate Tenten. There were only a few more skaters until the winners would be announced.

Gaara walked quickly in an attempt to keep up, but Lee didn’t slow down this time. He would apologize later. Right now he needed to get to Tenten. They walked quickly down the stairs and made their way back behind the giant ramp. Lee let go of Gaara’s hand and ran up to Tenten, picking her up and spinning her around.

“Tenten, that was awe-inspiring! You definitely have the win!” he shouted while he spun.

“Looks like we have a couple of champions here, eh Gaara?” Tsunade said, nudging Gaara with her elbow. He nodded and smiled.

“I sure hope so!” Lee said excitedly, swinging Tenten’s arms back and forth once he had put her down.

“Looks like you won’t have to hope for long,” Tsunade said, looking in the direction of the winner’s podium. “It’s time to hear the results.”

Tenten took off while Lee stood perfectly still, his ears starting to ring as butterflies filled his stomach. Before he could begin to panic, he felt a warm weight slip into his hand. He looked back to see Gaara standing and smiling at him, his hair lightly tousled as it always was. Lee smiled softly and touched the tips of Gaara’s red locks, trailing his hand down the side of his face to cup his cheek. Gaara leaned into the touch, kissing Lee’s palm. Lee smiled at him and ran a thumb over his cheek. 

“Can I kiss you?” Gaara asked, looking up at Lee with hopeful eyes. Lee smiled and nodded, leaning down slightly so that Gaara wouldn’t have to stand on the tips of his toes. Lee kissed him sweetly, then pulled away, resting his forehead against Gaara’s. They breathed each other in for a few moments, ignoring everything that was happening around them. 

“Lee, it’s time,” Gaara said softly, pulling away.

“Okay,” he replied, his face hurting from smiling so much. He began to walk in the direction Tenten had gone. Gaara interlaced their fingers, bringing his other hand up to wrap around Lee’s bicep. They walked together, something Lee had wanted to do for months, making their way to the winner’s platform. Cameras flashed wildly as the skaters waited to hear how they had placed. Lee took his place amongst them with Gaara on one side and Tenten on the other. Tsunade stood next to her, a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“Before we announce our winners, we just wanted to give a huge shoutout to all of the skaters who have competed today, and within the past few months. You guys really killed it and should be hella proud of yourselves!” the announcer said, inciting a cheer from everyone. Gaara squeezed Lee tighter. 

“We’re gonna start with the women’s division. As usual, we’ll announce the top three winners, then everyone will be able to see their individual scorings from the judges sheets we’ll be handing out after. Just a reminder, the top three places get a cash prize. The grand champion will get a sponsorship to go along with it. How does that sound?”

Lee bounced on the tips of his toes as the crowd began to cheer again. Tenten’s hand found his as they began to announce the top three skaters in the women's division.

“In third place we have--”

Tenten squeezed Lee’s hand.

“Kanoko!”

A cheer went up from the crowd as a short girl with curly hair stepped up to the platform. She was handed flowers, a trophy, and a small envelope. She didn’t seem disappointed, in fact, she looked relieved. Lee teared up. He was so happy for her.

“And second place goes to… Sayaka!”

Lee’s eyes grew wide as Tenten inhaled sharply next to him. He looked over at her and she stared back. Tsunade’s grip on Tenten’s shoulder got tighter, as did Gaara’s grip on Lee’s hand. They all stood not breathing, waiting for the winner to be announced.

“And our first place winner… our grand prize champion… the gal who stunned us all… Tenten!”

Tenten stood still, too shocked to move.

“Tenten, get up there!” Lee yelled, letting go of her hand and pushing her forward. He started to cry even harder, gripping Gaara tightly around the shoulders and cheering as she made her way up to the podium. She stood at the top, looking like a deer in the headlights as she was given her prizes. Cameras flashed all around her, capturing the moment she had been waiting to experience for months. Minutes passed as she got her picture taken and answered questions that different journalists had. A smile eventually creeped onto her face as she fully realized what was happening. She made her way off the platform and slowly over to their small group. She smiled up at Lee who beamed down at her. He looked at her for a few seconds, then pulled her into a tight hug.

“I am so, so proud of you, Ten,” he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut as tears continued to leak out.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispered back, tightening her grip around Lee’s middle. He pulled back, placing his hands on her shoulders and smiling down at her. She stepped away to talk to Gaara, thanking him for coming as he congratulated her. 

“Alright, skaters, it’s time to announce the men’s division!”

The smile on Lee’s face dropped. He grabbed Gaara’s hand gently, pulling him in front of him. He wrapped his arms around his waist and rested his chin on his head. He held him loosely so Gaara couldn’t feel him shake, but tight enough that he would be able to receive some comfort from the embrace. His ears began to ring again. 

“Let’s get right to it,” the announcer said, shuffling a few papers in his hand.

Lee’s chest grew tight.

“In third place we have...Omoi!”

The crowd cheered as Lee’s toes curled in his Vans.

“Second place; Hayato!”

The ringing in Lee’s ears grew deafening. He felt like he was going to throw up.

“And first place, grand champion goes to…”

Lee stopped breathing. Gaara’s grip on the hands around his waist grew tighter.

“ROCK LEE!”

“Fuck yeah!” Gaara yelled, jumping up and down. Lee looked down at him in shock, unable to process what had happened. Gaara covered his mouth and turned in Lee’s arms, jumping up and wrapping his own around Lee’s neck. Lee squeezed him tight as Tsunade and Tenten cheered wildly. Gaara released him, pushing him toward the podium. 

Lee felt like he was in a dream as he walked up to claim his prize. He stepped up onto the tall podium as he was handed a large bouquet of flowers and a trophy. He managed to smile as cameras flashed all around him.

He won?

He won!

Lee began to cry as the people around him clapped. He did his best to wipe his face on his shirt sleeve, not wanting tears to be running down his face in the picture. He looked past the flashing lights to see that Gaara was there, grinning widely. Lee’s face fell out of its smile. He stepped down from the podium, pushing past the reporters and photographers. They could wait a minute. Gaara had waited long enough. 

He walked up to him slowly. Gaara was still smiling, but he looked slightly confused. Lee bent down and slowly placed the flowers and trophy on the ground. Gaara went to hug him, but Lee stepped back. Gaara gave him a questioning look, but Lee only smiled and bent down on his left knee. He took the necklace out from under his shirt, broke the chain off his neck, and held the ring out to Gaara. Every time he envisioned himself proposing, he was crying. But he couldn’t bring himself to cry right now. Not when he was more sure of this moment than any other moment in his entire life.

As he began to speak, the noise from the crowd faded. All he could hear was Gaara breathing.

“Gaara, you are the man of my dreams. You have never once made me feel like a burden or like I was not someone who could be loved.”

Gaara gasped as tears began to fill his eyes. “Ho-holy shit...”

Lee just smiled. “You have always been the person I was most excited to see. I dreamt of coming home to you every day, even before we were dating. I love doing puzzles with you, hearing you talk about your plants, and seeing you work with the kids. Everything you do, you do it with such passion and grace. It is one of the most amazing things to be apart of.

“Gaara, I am so in love with you. Will you please do the honor of becoming my husband? Gaara, will you marry me?”

Tears were now streaming down Gaara’s face. He rarely cried.

“Yes, of course I will, Lee.”

Lee finally began to sob as his face split into a huge grin.

Gaara had said yes!

Lee slipped the ring onto his finger and jumped up from his place on the floor, wrapping his arms around Gaara, and pulling him up. They cried together as Gaara kissed Lee’s head over and over again. He pulled back, laughing as he looked into Lee’s eyes. They kissed again as cameras flashed around them. Gaara was never one for a lot of attention. But he couldn’t care less. He was going to be marrying Lee.

Lee had thought that Gaara would want a well planned proposal, something that fully catered to his interests. But the only thing he cared about was that Lee was the one proposing to him. Nothing else mattered.

It took a few hours before they were able to get back to the hotel. Interviews were conducted, pictures were taken, and sponsorship agreements were signed. The company sponsoring them was excited about the fact that Tenten and Lee had grown up as foster kids together. They even mentioned that they would be interested in doing something for the foster kids in their area as part of the campaign. That had made Lee cry again.

Lee wasn’t sure if he would ever be happier than he was that day. Well, he was sure the wedding would top it. But for now, he focused on this moment. He wanted to spend time with Gaara as his fiancé. He would have the rest of his life to have him as his husband.

Finally, the event was over and Lee was able to breathe. Tsunade and Naruto congratulated him, then left to go to dinner together. Tenten, Lee, and Gaara stopped for food at the hotel’s restaurant. As soon as she could, Tenten left to go back to her room. Lee smiled at Gaara, then grabbed his hand to pull him into their room. Now he understood why he had two bathrobes.

It turned out that Tsunade had been helping to plan this for a while. Gaara had flown in the day previous and stayed the night in another hotel. She had arranged for Naruto to bring Gaara’s luggage to Lee’s room at some point during the competition. They would stay together in the hotel for a few days, then they would both fly home. Once home, Lee would be able to return back to his normal life and enjoy living with Gaara like he had wanted to for so, so long.

After trying out the bathtub, like Lee had wanted when he had arrived to the first hotel on the trip, they got in their pajamas and snuggled into bed. Lee was convinced that finally feeling the weight of Gaara next to him in bed was one of the best feelings in the world. Gaara snuggled into him, placing his left hand on his chest as he admired his ring.

“It’s beautiful, Lee. Thank you.”

“Of course, my love,” Lee replied, kissing his damp hair. “I have had it for a while now. I am glad it did not get lost.”

Gaara glanced up at him. “How long did you have it?”

Lee looked up, thinking. “I got it about a month before I left on my trip.”

“A month?! You were planning this for that long?”

“Well, I was not planning to do it exactly as I did. But I have been planning on marrying you for a long, long time.”

Gaara began to tear up again. He kissed Lee softly in response. Lee sighed into the kiss, relieved that they no longer had to communicate with just their words. It had been worth the wait. Gaara always was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :') This chapter was so cathartic to write. I hope it ended up being worth it for all of you! <3


	15. A Day Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee and Gaara spend a day out! Finally.

Lee woke up the next morning with the usual warmth in his arms, though this time it was much heavier than a pillow. He smiled and peeled his tired eyes open to see Gaara staring back at him. His dark circles were a bit more visible than usual. Lee gave him a tiny frown and gently rubbed under Gaara’s eyes, craning his neck to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Did you not sleep well, love?’

Gaara blinked tiredly. “I didn’t really sleep at all. I’m still trying to adjust to the time difference. But that’s okay. I was awake while you held me. It helped make up for the past four months.” Gaara snuggled in closer to Lee’s chest. “Almost.”

Lee laughed lightly and kissed the top of his sleep-tousled hair. “I will hold you for as long as it takes.”

Gaara sighed in content, twisting the fabric of Lee’s shirt in his fist. He craned his head to place a gentle kiss on a bruise on Lee’s neck. He had been a bit too enthusiastic the night before. But Lee hadn’t cared. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it.

“As much as I would like to lay here with you for the rest of forever, I think we should probably get up,” Gara said, kissing Lee’s neck again.

“But, Gaara!” Lee whined, squeezing him tighter and burying his head into Gaara’s shoulder. “I have not been able to hold you in bed for so long! Just a little longer, please.”

Gaara laughed lightly. “Lee, please get up. I have something planned for us today.”

Lee pulled back and gasped. “Really? What is it?”

A light blush dusted Gaara’s cheeks. Lee was suddenly suspicious.

“There’s a cactus garden nearby. I thought it would be fun to visit.”

Lee smiled. “And here I thought you flew all this way to see me, but it looks like I was wrong. You just wanted to see the cacti.”

Gaara smiled and rolled his eyes. Before he could scoot out of bed, Lee placed a soft kiss to his lips. Gaara’s thumb rolled over Lee’s dimple as he sighed in content.

“Okay, now you may get out of bed,” Lee said, rolling away from Gaara.

Gaara laughed. “Thanks.”

They took their time getting ready, messing around and just enjoying being with each other. Once Gaara had pulled on one of Lee’s hoodies, they stepped out the door and made their way down to the hotel’s restaurant. They had asked Tenten to join them for breakfast, and she had agreed and invited Naruto and Tsunade as well. Gaara wasn’t too happy that Naruto would be joining, but he was pleased with the fact that he was able to hold Lee’s hand.

As soon as they sat down, Naruto whistled. “Dang, Gaara, that’s a pretty gnarly bruise on Lee’s neck. Things got pretty heated last night, huh?”

Before Gaara was able to open his mouth and cuss Naruto out, Lee pulled open a menu. “Look, love, they have waffles!”

That was sure to distract him.

After Gaara was calmed down and they had ordered their food, Gaara turned to Tenten. “So, how are you feeling now that the championship is over?”

Tenten’s smile dropped minutely, but Lee had caught it.

“Well, I’m super happy! And proud of Lee, of course.” She paused and played with her napkin. “I’m sad I won’t be able to skate with Lee anymore, though.”

Gaara nodded as Lee held his hand out across the table to Tenten. They held hands briefly as Lee smiled sadly at her. He wasn’t going to apologize or try and make her feel better. It was going to be okay, but they both would be sad and miss each other. He wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.

Tenten sighed and took a sip of her drink. “So, what are you two up to today? I think I’m going to go hit up the hotel’s spa.”

Gaara opened his mouth to respond, but Naruto began speaking first.

“Ooh, you’re going to the spa? Can I join you? That shit slaps.”

Tenten snorted. “Yeah, you can come if you shut the fuck up the entire time.”

Naruto sat back in his seat and pouted. Gaara glared at him for a moment, then answered Tenten’s original question.

“Lee and I are going to a cactus garden.”

Tenten gave Gaara a look, but Lee wasn’t sure why. He decided to brush it off and turn back to the menu. He was really in the mood for some juice and wanted to see what selection they had.

“That sounds awesome! You guys will have a lot of fun. Can we meet up for dinner tomorrow night, though? I can make a reservation somewhere in town. It’s one of our last nights out here. We should enjoy it!”

Lee nodded and smiled. “That sounds wonderful, Tenten. Thank you!”

She winked at Lee and did finger guns. “You got it, bro.”

They all continued to chat as they ate their breakfast. Tsunade decided to join Tenten and Naruto in the spa, under the same conditions that Tenten had. As they stood from the table to each begin their activities for the day, Lee grabbed Gaara’s hand, softly rubbing his thumb over his.

“Looks like it is just you and me today, sweetheart.”

Gaara hesitated slightly, then smiled and nodded. Lee was a bit worried about Gaara with the way he had been acting, but figured he was just exhausted. He would try and talk to him about it later. For now, he would just enjoy their time together.

They made their way back to the hotel room to get their things. Lee pulled Gaara inside, pausing slightly to place a soft kiss to his forehead. Gaara tilted his head up, silently requesting a kiss on the lips. Lee obliged, pressing his lips to Gaara’s as he sighed into Lee’s. Lee responded by pressing him gently into the wall behind them. Gaara wrapped his arms around Lee’s neck, using one hand to tug at his hair. Lee groaned, opening his mouth to let Gaara’s tongue inside. Just as he was about to pull Gaara to the bed, he pulled away, leaving Lee panting slightly with a bright red face.

“We should probably get going,” Gaara murmured, fixing Lee’s now flipped up collar.

“Gaara, you are such a tease,” Lee whispered back, kissing him on the top of his head.

“I don’t try to be,” he cheekily responded, turning away from Lee to grab the things he needed for the day. Lee smiled and did the same.

Tsunade had kindly arranged for a car to take them to the garden. Lee had thanked her profusely before she had left for the spa. She definitely seemed tense and Lee hoped it would help her. Tense Tsunade was never a fun person to be around.

Gaara and Lee got into the back of the car, scooting close together even though they could have spread out on the seat. There was plenty of room, but they wanted to be as close as they possibly could. Lee wrapped his arm around Gaara’s shoulders, pulling him in as they watched the city roll by. He smiled as Gaara nuzzled in closer to his side.

As much as he loved traveling with Tenten, he loved the relaxed pace that Gaara seemed to have adopted while on vacation. They had taken a few trips together before and he always kept Lee on schedule while encouraging him to relax at the same time. He had such a soothing energy, it was almost impossible for Lee to not feel at ease. He kissed Gaara on the head, happy that he had at least a few days to spend with him on this trip. Even though he had missed the bulk of it, Lee was glad that Gaara played at least a part toward the end.

After a short while, they began to drive up a fairly steep road. In the distance they saw a hill covered in tall cacti. Lee laughed softly as Gaara gasped and sat up straight. He really did come all this way to see them. Being able to see Lee had just been a bonus.

The driver pulled up outside of a beautiful desert garden surrounded with fencing and small, glass wind chimes. They thanked him and stepped out, intertwining their fingers together as they walked toward the entrance. Gaara’s head whipped around wildly, trying his best to see everything he could. He was in his element.

They made their way slowly toward the ticket booth. As they crossed over a small bridge, Lee gasped.

“Gaara, can we take a selfie together?!”

Gaara hesitated slightly, then nodded. Lee smacked a kiss to his cheek excitedly, then pulled out his phone. Gaara wasn’t a big fan of pictures. Lee put his arm around Gaara’s shoulder, pulling him close. Gaara wrapped his arms around Lee’s waist and smiled. Lee snapped a few pictures, placed a kiss to Gaara’s head, then put his phone away. Gaara grabbed his hand once again, then pulled him to the front of the garden.

Once inside, Lee almost had a hard time keeping track of his excited fiancé. Luckily, his red hair made him easy to spot with all of the green and brown hues surrounding them. They walked up through a trail of large cacti, holding hands as often as Gaara’s enthusiasm would permit. He stopped at every plant, taking as many pictures as he could. He even let Lee take more selfies with him. Lee was as overjoyed as Gaara, though for different reasons.

“Say, Gaara?”

Gaara hummed, but didn’t look away from the small desert flowers he was currently admiring.

“What are the tall cacti called?”

Gaara glanced up the hill briefly, flickered his eyes over to Lee, then directed his attention back to the flowers. 

“Carnegiea gigantea.”

Lee blinked, awaiting further explanation. When he didn’t receive any, he opened his mouth to ask him another question, but Gaara answered it before he could ask it.

“It’s normally called a Saguaro. They are what people usually envision when they think of cacti or succulents.”

Lee nodded thoughtfully. “Do you think we could put one in our backyard?”

Gaara looked away from the flower and up at Lee. After pausing for a moment with a confused look on his face, he burst out laughing.

“Lee, why would you want something so big in our yard?” he asked, standing up and walking over to where Lee stood.

Lee folded his arms, pouting slightly. “I thought you might enjoy it.”

Gaara smiled at him, pulling Lee’s arms apart so he could wrap his own around Lee’s waist.

“You’re so thoughtful. But I don’t think it would survive where we live.”

Lee’s face softened. “Oh.”

Gaara stood on the tips of his toes to kiss Lee. Lee’s chest swelled as he smiled, inhaling the scent he had missed for so long. Catching Gaara off guard, Lee adjusted his arms underneath his, spinning him around and causing a small cloud of dust to build up around their feet. Gaara laughed again, holding on tight to Lee so he didn’t get dropped. After a few more seconds, Lee set Gaara down, kissing his head as he did so. As soon as he was back on the ground, Lee’s stomach growled.

Gaara snickered. “Are you hungry, Lee?”

“Er, yes, but I do not mind waiting.” Lee rested his hand over his stomach

“Let’s finish this loop then head to the restaurant in the garden. We can still look around after.”

Lee nodded and grabbed Gaara’s hand. They made their way down the rest of the dusty trail, stopping for Gaara to investigate a particularly interesting looking plant every once in a while. They arrived to the center of the garden just in time. Lee was starving.

They stepped into the small, elegant building as a rush of cold air swept over them. Lee sighed in relief. Gaara just stepped closer into him. They were seated within a few minutes, and had ordered in just a few more. Finally, after what felt like forever, Lee was able to eat.

“How many more trails do we have?” he asked, his hand tingling as Gaara traced circles on it from across the table.

Gaara swallowed the food he was eating, then looked up thoughtfully. “I believe it’s just two more. But I was actually hoping we could stay long enough to watch the sunset.”

Lee gasped, clasping his hands next to his head. “How romantic! That sounds lovely.”

Gaara smiled. They both returned to their food.

They continued to chat and eat, looking out at the garden through the big window next to them. Tears filled Lee’s eyes as the sun cast a beautiful, golden light on Gaara’s face, highlighting his features as he looked out the window with his chin in his hand. Lee sneakily took his phone out of his pocket, snapping a picture of him. He couldn’t help it. Gaara was just so beautiful.

If he had noticed the picture, Gaara didn’t say anything. Normally he could tell right away if Lee was taking pictures of him. It seems that he was going to let this one slide. Gaara stood from the table, waiting for Lee to walk over and take his hand. They exited the restaurant and continued their tour of the garden, waiting for the sun to set.

People began filtering out of the garden, leaving Lee and Gaara almost completely alone. When Gaara began to shuffle his feet slightly, Lee offered to carry him so his feet didn’t hurt. In most circumstances, Gaara would have refused. He couldn’t seem to in this one.

“You should not have worn Vans,” Lee said with a laugh. He bent down in front of Gaara so he could climb onto Lee’s back. “They are excellent for skating, but offer no arch support.”

“Lee, you always wear Vans,” Gaara said with a grunt as Lee bounced him into place. “How come your feet never hurt?”

Lee felt Gaara adjust something in his pocket. “It is because I am a skater, so the shoes do not reject my feet. They can tell you are a fraud. That is why your feet hurt so often.”

Gaara snorted and poked Lee in the neck causing them both to laugh. They walked through the remainder of the trail they had been on, enjoying the smell of the cooling earth as the dust settled with the sun. Just as it began to dip behind the hills, Gaara hopped off of Lee’s back and pulled him to sit on a nearby bench. They sat close to each other, Gaara’s head on Lee’s shoulder and Lee’s head on Gaara’s. Their hands stayed clasped as they breathed in time with each other. 

“I love you, Gaara,” Lee whispered, adjusting his head to kiss Gaara’s.

“I love you, too, Lee.”

The sun continued to dip behind the hills, illuminating the garden in a warm, golden glow. Lee felt conflicted. He wished they were further apart so he could see how Gaara looked in the light, but he was so happy to be close to him after they spent so much time apart. The air grew colder as the sun disappeared entirely. Slowly, lights around the garden began to flicker on, lighting their way back to the entrance.

Just as they were about to exit through the front gates, finally leaving after a full day of exploring, Gaara stood back, pulling Lee gently.

Lee gave Gaara a confused look. “Love, it is time to leave. I think the employees will kick us out soon.” He laughed somewhat awkwardly.

“It’s okay. I want to look at something really quickly. I promise it won’t take long.”

Lee chewed on the bottom of his lip nervously and looked toward the gate. “Gaara, we really--”

Gaara placed a gentle finger to Lee’s lips. “It will just be a minute. Come on.”

He smiled at Lee softly. He obliged, following Gaara back down a path they hadn’t been on earlier. Lee was weak for that smile. If Gaara smiled at him like that, there was nothing he wouldn’t do. The decision to venture back into the garden was an easy one

Gaara pulled him along gently, his thumb running over Lee’s somewhat anxiously. Lee furrowed his brow. He didn’t know what Gaara was doing, but it was making him a little nervous. He really didn’t want to get kicked--

Lee’s train of thought stopped. At the end of the path they had been walking down, he saw a gazebo, filled with small, lit candles. Seeing Lee had stopped, Gaara did, too, turning to look at Lee. The candlelight lit the back of him, making his hair look like flames and casting small shadows on his face. He smiled warmly at Lee.

“Gaara, wha--”

Gaara shook his head, tears slowly filling his eyes. Lee’s heart thundered in his chest. Gaara pulled him further up the path and into the gazebo. They stood in the center, hands clasped together as Gaara smiled up at Lee, a single tear rolling down his face. Lee used a gentle thumb to wipe it away. Gaara laughed softly.

“I was planning on doing this before you, but you beat me to it. I guess I got sick of waiting and planned this all out. Your spontaneity is always better than my preparation, though.”

Lee rested his hand on the back of Gaara’s neck, his eyebrows knit together.

“Planning on doing what, love?”

Gaara sniffled, then bent down on one knee, still holding one of Lee’s hands. Lee gasped and immediately started crying.

“Lee, I have never felt more loved, cherished, or protected than when I’m with you. I don’t understand how you can be hurt over and over again, but always come back with even more love and kindness. And I don’t think I ever want to understand or know if I could. That’s just who you are. But what I do know, is that I want to be with you forever.”

Gaara reached into his pocket, pulling out a deep green, velvet ring box.

“I know we’ve both already said yes, but, well, I already had this planned. And I felt like it wouldn’t be fair to you if I didn’t try to return your proposal with some sort of romantic gesture. Even though I’m not very good at those.” Gaara laughed softly.

“Gaara, that is not true! You--”

“Lee,” Gaara said softly, but firmly. Lee practically melted into the floor.

“Yes, Gaara?”

Gaara flipped open the ring box with some difficulty, then held it out to him. In the cushion sat a dark gray ring with a slightly scuffed finish. Lee gasped and began to cry harder.

“Will you marry me?”

Lee laughed, pulling Gaara to his feet. “Of course I will, baby. You already knew that.”

Gaara laughed with him as he placed the ring onto Lee’s finger. 

“I did know that. But I didn’t feel like I could just give you the ring casually. I wanted to do something more for you.”

He wiped Lee’s tears, then tilted his head up to kiss him. They stood together, kissing for a bit longer, before Gaara pulled out his phone. He put on a soft song, one they listened to often. He grabbed Lee gently by the waist, pulling him close. Lee’s heart fluttered as he did his best to not cry more. Gaara rarely slow danced with him, he didn’t want to ruin this moment with his tears. This was the best night of his entire life.

Lee wrapped his arms around Gaara’s shoulders as he rested his head on Lee’s chest. They swayed slowly together, spinning in the candlelight as the stars came up outside of the gazebo. Lee didn’t think about the past four months. He didn’t think about going home. All he thought about was Gaara. How solid he felt in his arms. How comforted he felt when he rested his head on his chest. How gorgeous he looked in the candlelight. Gaara was incredible. He was kind, supportive, funny, and handsome. And Lee couldn’t believe that he would be fortunate enough to spend the rest of his life with him.

Lee had always believed in true love. But he never knew how wonderful it could be.

When the song finally came to an end, they continued to sway, holding each other as the candles flickered out. They pulled apart after a few more minutes, smiling at each other.

“Gaara, can we take a picture together before all of the candles go out?” Lee asked, his eyes hopeful.

“Of course,” Gaara responded, pulling out his phone. Lee bounced on the tips of his toes in excitement. 

He held his phone out, doing his best to get enough light in front of them, while also capturing the pictures from behind. Lee placed his hand on Gaara’s chest, making sure that the ring was showing. They smiled, then Gaara kissed Lee’s cheek. They took more pictures than usual, hoping that it would make up for the inevitable blurriness and low quality of the photos due to the poor lighting. 

After they finished taking pictures, they walked slowly out of the garden. Gaara reassured Lee that the employees knew they were there and had not only helped Gaara plan it, but would also clean everything up. The gesture caused Lee to start crying again. By the time they got back into the car Tsunade had hired for them, Lee was very tired, but very happy.

He leaned his head onto Gaara’s shoulder as they drove back to the hotel, blinking sleepily. Gaara had already fallen asleep at this point, the time change and emotional day getting to him. Lee hoped that he would be able to adjust his schedule for the few days they would still be gone. Luckily, Gaara was taking an extra day off after they landed in order to rest. And cuddle more, of course.

Once they arrived at the hotel, Lee reluctantly woke Gaara up. Normally when he fell asleep on Lee, he would carry Gaara to bed, but he knew that Gaara would have been embarrassed being carried through a fancy hotel. So instead, Lee wrapped his arm around Gaara’s shoulder, pulling him in tightly so he could continue to enjoy Lee’s body heat. Once they were in the hotel room, though, Lee couldn’t resist. He hooked his arms under Gaara’s knees, lifting him up carefully to carry him to the bed. Gaara sighed in content and nuzzled into the crook of Lee’s neck.

Lee set Gaara down, sitting next to him on the bed and running his hand through his hair. Gaara shifted so his head was laying on Lee’s lap, enjoying the feeling of Lee softly running his fingers through his red locks. After a few minutes, Gaara began to snore lightly. Lee smiled and softly lifted his head up, laying it back down on the bed so he could stand up. He took a moment to take Gaara’s pants off so he would be comfortable while he slept. After folding them neatly and setting them on Gaara’s suitcase, he removed his own and gave them the same treatment.

Lee, now ready for bed, slipped them both under the covers, making sure that Gaara was on a pillow. He got terrible neck cramps if he slept without one. Only seconds after Lee had settled in next to him, Gaara rolled over, pulling Lee close into him. Too tired to even cry, Lee only smiled, intertwining his hand with Gaara’s. 

As he fell asleep, he wondered what color suit Gaara would wear to the wedding. No matter what he wore, Lee knew that he would still be the most handsome man in the world.


	16. Let's Get Married

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaara and Lee get married!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all folks! Thank you to a_gay_poster for all of their support of this fic. Thank you to missdetache for reading this as I was writing it. You are both very sweet and I am very grateful for you! 
> 
> I hope that if you read this through that you enjoyed it!
> 
> A reminder to everyone of how loved and special you are, regardless of if others are able to see that or not. Everyone deserves happiness and love. No matter what.
> 
> Happy holidays, friends. Please know that you can always reach out to me if you ever need anything. I am on Tumblr as drchickenslinger, Twitter as drchickensling1, and on Discord as drchickenslinger#1283. Never hesitate to reach out if you need to! This world can be a harsh place to live, but we don't have to go through it alone.

Lee sat up in bed, butterflies filling his stomach. It had been a year since he had gotten home from his skating trip with Tenten. It had been an amazing time, full of fun adventures and opportunities for Lee to learn more about himself and about his relationships. Adjusting to normal life was difficult at first, but Lee had found comfort in his old routines. And in Gaara, of course.

The last few days of the trip had gone by in a whirlwind. He spent most of the time with Tenten and Gaara, showing him all of the sites they had visited in previous weeks. What felt all too soon, but not soon enough at the same time, they were in the airport for the very last time. When they finally landed back in Lee’s hometown, a flood of relief and memories hit him. That night, he slept next to Gaara in their bed. They were finally able to be in their home together for the first time in months.

Soon after, Lee started work again. It was so nice to get back to his programs and his usual schedule. Even though he had been passionate about his career before he had left, doing what had once been his dream showed him how much that dream had changed. Seeing how much Sai loved the art program, he kept him on as a helper. Eventually, Sai had been able to start working with Lee’s branch, taking over the program entirely. He had never looked happier.

The brand sponsor began working with them immediately, providing new gear for all of the skaters that Lee worked with as part of his program. They also did a campaign with Neji’s shop, bringing in more business and the need for more employees, Naruto being one of them. Lee was happy to see that all of the effort he had put into his trip made a difference in not only his life, but in the lives of everyone he loved as well.

When they had returned from the trip newly engaged, Lee had started planning their wedding almost immediately. Gaara tried to be involved as much as possible, but he allowed Lee to take the reins for most of the decisions. He did have quite a lot to say regarding the flowers, though. Lee was tedious in his planning, making sure to not forget any details. It had been exhausting, but it was finally going to pay off.

Gaara and Lee were getting married today.

Lee stretched in bed, his shoulders and back popping from disuse. He looked around his hotel room sleepily, his mind bobbing back to the memory of staying in different hotels for four months straight. But this time, he was in a hotel out of preference. He was very old-fashioned in some regards, and that included seeing his partner before the marriage ceremony. He had insisted that Gaara stay at the house while he got a hotel room. He also reasoned that they could reserve the room for multiple nights, seeing as they would need somewhere to stay before leaving for their honeymoon. 

Gaara had begrudgingly agreed, though he would have much rather slept next to Lee the night before their wedding. Waking up without Gaara next to him almost had Lee feeling the same way. After living with him for a year, he had grown used to the warm weight of Gaara sleeping next to him every night, sleepily kissing him when he woke up the next morning.

Lee sighed, starting to miss Gaara, then grabbed his phone and scrolled through his notifications. He had two texts from him.

Almost Husband

“Good morning, Lee. I hate to break it to you, but after today, I can no longer be your fiancé.”

Lee smiled.

Almost Husband

“That’s because I would much rather be your husband.”

Lee laughed to himself, then typed out a response.

Lee

“I think that I would prefer that, too. I love you, sweetheart. I will see you soon. I already know you will look so handsome.”

Tears filled Lee’s eyes. He wanted to blink them away, but he had opened the floodgate. It would be almost impossible for him to stop crying for the rest of the day. But he couldn’t help it!

He had dreamed of his wedding all throughout his teenage and young adult years. He loved the idea that two people could be so in love that they would commit so strongly to be together. Lee took it very seriously. He knew that he would never be able to back out of something so binding. He was glad that he would never have to. He and Gaara were very in love. The honeymoon phase had never ended in their relationship. He knew that both of them would give their all in their relationship for the rest of their lives. 

Lee started to cry harder. He knew he had to get ready for the wedding, but he was suddenly overwhelmed. How do you get ready for the most important day of your entire life?

Before Lee could have a full on meltdown, he heard a knock at the door. He suddenly felt relieved. Not for the first time, Tenten had come to the rescue. She took her maid of honor duties very seriously and had offered to help Lee get ready. He had eagerly accepted, knowing he would be a mess the entire day. Luckily, their wedding was fairly simple. Lots of people had been invited, but the ceremony and reception were relaxed. Lee knew that Gaara wouldn’t enjoy anything extravagant, so he had planned accordingly, making sure that even with the number of guests, the whole thing was very intimate and focused on the two of them.

He stood from the bed, doing his best to wipe the moisture from his eyes though he continued to cry. He opened the door to see Tenten standing there in a long, flowy, maroon dress with a sweetheart neckline. Loose straps hung on the sides of her arms, accentuating her muscles. Gaara had helped her pick it out and had clearly done a great job. At the sight of his sister, Lee started crying harder.

“Lee, you’re already crying?” Tenten said with a sigh, pushing past him into the room. “Where are the tissues?”

“Tenten, I cannot help it. I am getting married today! And you look so beautiful! How else do you expect me to react?”

Tenten laughed lightly. “I know, Lee. Thank you. I’m glad you’re happy, I just want you to be able to enjoy the wedding without getting sick. Have you drank any water yet today?”

Lee sniffed, taking the tissue Tenten handed him and wiping his eyes. “No, I just got up. I will drink some right now.”

Tenten located his sticker-covered water bottle and handed it to him, watching to make sure he drank a substantial amount. After he had finished, he was able to calm down a bit. He drew a shuddery breath, smiling at Tenten. 

“I am so glad you are here,” he said, capping his water bottle and setting it down. “I do not even know where to start.”

Tenten smiled at him warmly. “How about you start with a shower?”

Lee’s eyebrows raised in alarm. He held his arm up and sniffed. “Do I smell bad?”

Tenten snorted and began pushing him to the bathroom. “No, but you would smell even better if you bathed.”

“O-oh! Of course.”

Lee stepped into the bathroom, slightly less flustered than he had been before. He stripped of his nighttime clothes, making sure to set them in a neat pile on the sink. He then jumped into the shower, thoroughly scrubbing himself down. He let the conditioner settle in his hair for an extra long amount of time. He wanted his usually shiny hair to be blinding. Once he felt excessively clean, he stepped out of the shower, toweling off and getting into the soft hotel robe, something he now associated with comfort and luxury. Gaara had even bought him one similar for his birthday.

He opened the bathroom door letting all of the accumulated steam out into the room. Tenten was across from him with an iron, running it slowly over his navy blue dress pants. His matching jacket had gotten the same treatment and was now hanging up in the closet, from what Lee could tell.

“Tenten, you did not have to do that! I ironed them last night.”

“I know, Lee, but I want to make sure you look your absolute best!” she said, passing the iron over the expensive fabric again. Lee walked over to her and watched her for a few moments. At the kind gesture, Lee began to tear up again.

“Thank you so much, Tenten. I want to look my best, too. Gaara deserves nothing less than.”

Tenten looked up at Lee and smiled, then frowned when she noticed the tears. She sighed, shaking her head, and unplugged the iron. She hung the pants up in a way that wouldn’t wrinkle them, then walked back over to Lee with another tissue.

“Lee, I know you’re happy, and nervous, and excited, and all that shit, but you really need to try to calm down, okay? It’s going to be hard to see and enjoy this special day if your vision is clouded with tears the whole time. Just breathe.”

At the thought of missing his entire wedding, he teared up more. He took the tissue from Tenten and began dabbing at his eyes.

“I know, Tenten. I am trying.”

She smiled softly and nodded, pulling him into a tight hug.

“I am so, so proud of you, Lee. You’re going to be an amazing husband.”

Lee sniffed and squeezed her. “Thank you, Tenten. I love you.”

She pulled away, grabbing another tissue to help Lee clean up the moisture around his eyes. “I love you, too. Now, let’s get you ready.”

She opened the small closet to reveal Lee’s entire suit ironed and ready to go. It seemed that Lee had been in the shower for longer than he had thought. Tenten stepped out into the hall, only long enough to allow Lee to put on his white dress shirt and slacks. She stepped back in as he was tucking the shirt in, his sleeves and collar a mess.

“Lee, you look so handsome already!” she said, fixing his collar.

He blushed and smiled at her as he continued to tuck. “Really?”

“Yes, of course!” Tenten said with a laugh. “You always look handsome!”

“Thank you, Tenten. Will you help me with my sleeves?” he asked, shaking his arms out.

“Sure. Where are your cufflinks at?” she asked after buttoning the top button on his shirt.

“They are in the front pocket of my suitcase. Gaara and I picked each other’s out.”

Tenten rummaged through Lee’s suitcase until she found a small box. She opened it and gasped. 

“What?!” Lee asked excitedly.

“Lee, they’re tiny skateboards!” she said, walking back over to him and holding them out. Lee began to cry. Again.

“That is so perfect,” he said through his tears. “Gaara is so thoughtful, I love him so much.”

Tenten gave Lee a stern look, handing over his water bottle and another tissue. Lee breathed deeply, then took a drink and wiped his eyes.

“What cufflinks did you get for him?” Tenten asked, pinning Lee’s sleeves together with the small skateboards once he had calmed down.

“They are small silver circles with cacti stamped into them. Saguaro cacti, to be exact,” Lee said proudly. He smiled at the memory of when Gaara had proposed to him. The desert garden had been beautiful and was filled with Saguaros. It had become Lee’s favorite type of cactus. Not that he really had one before.

“Oh, that’s so cute, Lee! I’m sure he’s going to love it.” She finished pinning his sleeves, then straightened them out. “Who’s helping Gaara get ready?”

Lee ran his hands down his shirt, checking to make sure everything was smooth and neat. “Kankuro and Temari. Though, I am sure that Temari will be more of a help than anything.” He laughed at the thought of his soon to be in-laws helping Gaara get ready. Lee hoped that it wouldn’t stress him out too much.

Tenten stepped away from Lee, rummaging through his suitcase once more to locate his maroon bow tie. Lee and Gaara had come to an agreement on wedding colors, though Lee felt like there was a disappointing lack of green. They had decided on cream, navy blue, and maroon with subtle accents of green, to make Lee happy. Gaara was happy with it, which meant that Lee was, too. Even though he would have preferred green and orange.

“Here’s your bow tie, Lee. Put that on and I’ll get your vest and jacket out.”

“Thank you, Tenten,” he said, taking the strip of fabric from her and stepping toward the mirror. He flipped his collar up, wrapping it around his neck and tying it into a bow. He had been practicing how to tie one for years in preparation for this day. Lee smiled as he thought of his younger self tying it over and over, dreaming about what his future spouse would be like. He had turned out to be even better than Lee could have ever imagined. Young Lee would have been so happy to have someone like Gaara. He was glad he had finally found him.

Tenten walked over with his vest, navy blue to match the rest of his suit. She put it on for him, fussing over the buttons and making sure it sat smoothly on top of Lee’s shirt. She then readjusted his bow tie a few times, even though Lee knew that he had tied it perfectly. He let her fuss over it anyway. It showed that she cared. 

She stepped back, smoothing her hands over Lee’s shoulders one more time. “Okay, Lee, let’s have you get your shoes on and do your hair. Then we can put your jacket on and head over to the venue.” She smiled at him. “We’re making great time. It’s going to be such a fantastic day!”

Lee grinned at her, pulling her into another tight hug. “Thank you so much for your help, Tenten.”

“Of course! Now, where is your brush?”

Lee located his brush for her and began tying on his shoes. He and Gaara had gotten matching maroon Vans, seeing as the shoes had played such a significant part in their relationship. He didn’t know what color suit Gaara was wearing, but he had reassured him that the shoes would match. Gaara always had a much better eye for things like this, so Lee wasn’t too worried about it.

Once his shoes were laced up, Tenten went to work on his hair, brushing it and laying it in his usual style. He had gotten it trimmed before the wedding, even going as far as to let the stylist do some work on his eyebrows. They were thick and slightly bushy and he had always liked them that way. But, he reasoned that whatever he could do to look his best for Gaara was worth it.

Tenten squirt some mousse into her hair, working it through her hands and into Lee’s hair to give him a little bit of texture and form. Lee watched her work in the mirror, smiling as she frowned in concentration. Once she was satisfied, she stepped back, folding her arms and gesturing to the mirror.

“Not to toot my own horn, but you look really great, Lee!”

Lee blushed again. “Thank you, Tenten. You do, too.”

“Thanks!” she replied, walking over to the closet to grab his jacket. She helped him shrug it on, buttoning it, then unbuttoning it. She tugged at it, smoothing it over and stepping back to get a full view. She smiled softly, then began to tear up.

“Tenten, we are not supposed to cry today! Remember?” Lee said, smiling as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Tenten laughed with a sniffle. “You’re not supposed to. But I’m allowed to cry. My best friend is getting married today.”

“Who, Gaara?” Lee said with a grin, passing her a tissue. She looked up, dabbing at her eyes so her makeup didn’t run.

“Well, yes. But also you. You’re my best friend, Lee. I’m so grateful we ended up together.”

He pulled her in close, gently kissing her forehead. “You are my best friend, too. Thank you for everything, Tenten. I am so glad we got to grow up together.”

They hugged, staying in the embrace for much longer than they normally would. Eventually, Tenten pulled back, smiling at Lee. 

“Let’s get you married.”

Butterflies filled Lee’s stomach as tears threatened to spill over again. He set his mouth in a firm line and nodded. He was ready.

Tenten helped him gather everything he needed to take with them, then they walked out to Lee’s car. He shook his hands out, attempting to calm his nerves as he sat down. Tenten got into the car with him. Kakashi and Gai had dropped her off before heading to the venue. They had been put in charge of organizing the wedding party. Gai took his role very seriously. Kakashi was mostly just excited to see his husband in a tuxedo. And that Lee was getting married, of course. 

Lee hummed along with the radio, his out of tune voice carrying throughout the car. He thought of Gaara and how much they liked to sing with each other while they drove. He also thought about how he was probably on his way to the wedding right now. The butterflies in his stomach thrashed around wildly.

“I do not know why I am so nervous,” Lee said with a tight laugh. “Gaara and I have been together for years. He already said yes to marrying me. This should be no problem.”

“We worry and care about the things that are most important to us, Lee,” Tenten said. “It’s okay to be nervous. Just don’t let it affect your enjoyment of your special day.”

Lee nodded, twisting his hands around the steering wheel. After a short drive, they pulled into the parking lot. There were already groups of people milling around outside. Some of which was Lee’s wedding party. 

Neji had agreed to be Lee’s best man, had seemed elated in fact that he was being chosen. Neji had softened up over the years, especially after dating Kankuro and babysitting Shikadai so often. It warmed Lee’s heart to finally see his friend in such a happier place. He and Tenten made up Lee’s wedding party. Temari was Gaara’s maid of honor, and Kankuro was his best man. When Gaara had mentioned that Temari should be a matron of honor, seeing as she was already married, she about punched him in the face. That made her feel too old.

Gaara and Lee had asked Raito to be the flower girl. She had played a significant role in both of their lives, and they had grown close with her parents, too. They were excited when Gaara had asked all three of them at the skate program one night, and Lee and Gaara even took them all out to dinner and shopping so they could pick out her dress. Asahi had come, too. It was an easy decision for Raito’s moms to adopt him once it had been confirmed that he wouldn’t be able to go back with his birth parents. Both Lee and Gaara had cried they day they found out he would be adopted.

The final addition to the wedding party was Shikadai as the ring bearer. Of course, he was a bit too young to actually take on the responsibility, but Gaara had found the cutest outfit for him. Their ceremony wasn’t going to be very traditional, anyway. They would both be walked down the aisle, exchange vows, then be announced as husbands. They didn’t need anything more complicated than that. All they needed was each other.

Lee parked his car, looking around wildly to ensure that Gaara hadn’t arrived yet. He looked everywhere, making sure that his car was not yet in the parking lot. When he confirmed that it wasn’t, he smiled and hopped out of the car. Gaara’s chronic tardiness had come to Lee’s rescue.

Tenten and Lee grabbed everything he needed from the car, then headed inside. Once there, he set his stuff down in a small room reserved for just him and his family. Kakashi and Gai were already in there waiting. Gai, of course, was already crying. Seeing his father in tears, Lee began to cry as well.

“Lee, my son, you look so handsome. I am so happy for you. What a beautiful day of youthful expression and true love,” Gai sobbed, blowing his nose into an ornate handkerchief. He was wearing a handsome black tuxedo with a deep blue bow tie. Kakashi’s suit matched Lee’s in color, though his tie was black, probably to match his husband.

“Gai, calm down. This is a happy celebration,” Kakashi said with a sigh, patting his husband’s back. His expression made Lee think that Gai had been going on about it all morning. He cracked a smile as tears streamed down his face.

“Thank you, Gai. Kakashi. I would not be here today without you two.”

Gai and Lee both began to sob together as he leaned over to hug his dad. Kakashi sighed and rolled his eyes, walking over to Tenten. He gave her a brief hug.

“Hey, kiddo. You look beautiful.” He paused, looking warily over at the two men. “Has he been crying like this all morning?” Kakashi asked, folding his arms and leaning against the wall tiredly.

Tenten sighed. “Yep. I had just gotten him to stop, too. I don’t want him to pass out from dehydration. What about dad?” she asked, jutting her chin out in Gai’s direction.

“Yep.”

They sighed together and laughed. Lee stepped away from Gai, rubbing his eyes.

“Hi, dad,” he said softly, walking up to Kakashi. Kakashi leaned in to give him a hug.

“Hey, Lee. You look so handsome,” he said, rubbing his back. He held him at arm’s length, surveying him, then fixing his bow tie. Lee smiled, scratching the back of his head.

“Thank you. I hope Gaara will think so, too.”

“Of course he will,” they heard from the door. Neji walked in with a scoff. “He thought you were handsome before, why wouldn’t he now?”

“Neji!” Lee cried, running over and squeezing him tightly. “I am so glad you are here. Today would not be the same without you.”

Neji laughed lightly, patting Lee’s back. “Lee, you’re pulling my hair.”

Lee apologized, letting go of Neji and smoothing out his long hair. He had decided to keep one side of his head shaved, trimming it every few months. It was a good look for him. Neji smiled, then adjusted Lee’s bow tie. Lee wasn’t sure why everyone felt the need to do it, but he was grateful that everyone wanted him to look his best.

“I’m glad I’m here, too. Congrats, Lee. Gaara is very lucky.”

Lee smiled, grabbing Neji by his shoulders and squeezing. “Thank you so much, Neji. Though I think that it is me who is lucky. Not just to have Gaara, but to also have wonderful friends like you.”

Neji smiled at him.

“Lee?” they heard from the doorway. Another visitor. Raito stepped hesitantly into the room.

“Raito! Hello! You look so pretty!” Lee said, bending down to greet the girl as she walked further into the room. She stood in a straight, cream lace dress, her hair done in soft curls. She wore a small corsage around her wrist with small red and green succulents on it. That was another one of Gaara’s choices. Succulents instead of flowers. He had even arranged all of them himself. They looked so wonderful that Lee couldn’t help but start crying again.

“Thanks, Lee! You look so pretty, too!” she said with a grin. She reached outside of the door, tugging a slightly disheveled Asahi into view.

“Asahi! You are here, too!” Lee said, crying even harder. Tenten came over, bending down next to him and handing him a tissue.

“Hi, Lee,” he said shyly, hiding behind his sister. “Are you and Gaara getting married?”

Lee smiled, wiping his eyes. “We are! Gaara is going to be my husband!”

Asahi nodded, shoving his hands into the pockets of his dress pants.

Lee continued to chat with them, until they were met with yet another tiny visitor. Shikadai came tearing down the hall, yelling Lee’s name. He wore navy blue pants and suspenders, complete with a maroon bow tie, similar to Lee’s. He smiled excitedly as he ran, his tiny ponytail bouncing with every step.

“Uncle Lee!” he yelled, pushing through Raito and Asahi to get to him. He threw himself into his arms, wiggling excitedly as Lee picked him up. Tenten turned to Asahi and Raito, telling them that the ceremony would start soon and to go find their moms.

“Hello, Shikadai!” Lee said, poking his tummy. “You look so handsome!”

“Uncle Gaara did my bow tie,” he said matter-of-factly, tugging at it gently. He gasped, noticing that he and Lee had the same ones on. “Did uncle Gaara do yours, too?”

Lee laughed. “No, I have not seen Gaara today!”

Shikadai nodded solemnly. He poked his head around Lee. Seeing Neji, he threw himself out of Lee’s arms.

“Uncle Neji!” he squealed, running over to him and jumping into his arms. Neji smiled, hoisting him up and squeezing him tight. They were so happy together. Neji had recently become one of the favorite uncles, making Lee slightly nervous that he would lose his position as favorite. But, he couldn’t help but be happy that they loved each other. Their family was so happy together. Lee began to cry again. Seeing this, Kakashi walked up to him, clapping him gently on the back and steering his attention away from the scene.

“Lee, we need to put your boutineer on,” he said, bringing him to one of the tables at the back. “Gaara brought these over this morning.”

Lee looked down at them and smiled. He had bunched a few small, green and red succulents together, wrapping the base in cream ribbon. Kakashi grabbed one, holding it up to Lee’s suit lapel.

“May I?” he asked, grabbing one of the pins.

Lee nodded and smiled. Kakashi set it against the fabric, pinning it gently into place. After ensuring that it wouldn’t move, he stepped back, looking Lee over with soft eyes. After a few seconds, a tear fell down his cheek.

“I’m very proud of you, son. You have grown to be an excellent man. I am lucky to be part of that.” Kakashi smiled at him with a hand on his shoulder. As Lee began to shake slightly, Kakashi frowned. “Please don’t cry anymore.”

Lee gasped, and nodded, doing his best to blink away his tears. Kakashi pulled him in for a gentle hug. Once they parted, Lee helped Kakashi pass out the rest of the boutineers. Tenten got a small bouquet of succulents to hold. Gaara had told her that he would help her replant them after, but Lee had a feeling that they wouldn’t last very long if left in her care. Tenten had never been great with plants.

Neji left not too long after with Shikadai. He wanted to see Kankuro before the ceremony. Lee continued to putter around nervously, readjusting his clothes and staring intensely at himself in the mirror. His face kept getting red from crying and from anxiousness, but Tenten had gotten him a cool rag to help him calm it down. The gesture had made Lee cry again, but Tenten stopped him in his tracks with a stern look. He continued to putter around the room until it was time. Tenten instructed him to start walking toward the room where the wedding was taking place.

Finally, after years and years of waiting, it was time for the ceremony.

Lee stood outside of the gathering room with his hands tightly clenching onto Gai’s wheelchair. Kakashi stood next to him, a gentle hand on his shoulder. When they heard of Gaara and Lee’s engagement, Kakashi and Gai had started arguing about who would walk Lee down the aisle. Gai had insisted he should, since he could see better than Kakashi. That had been a low blow. Kakashi insisted that he should be the one to do it since he was the only one who could walk. Yet another low blow. They had continued to argue back and forth until Lee, not knowing they were even arguing about it, asked them both to walk him down. They begrudgingly agreed.

After a few more minutes of waiting, the people inside started to quiet down as a gentle instrumental began to play. Lee breathed deeply. This was it. The moment he had been waiting his entire life for.

Lee had insisted that he go down first, wanting to see Gaara as he walked in. It also meant that he might be able to make it to the front of the room with clear eyes, making it easier to see. As the doors opened and Tenten and Neji walked down the aisle with Raito, Lee’s breath caught in his chest. He was glad that he was the one pushing Gai. He would need the extra support. 

Once his wedding party had made it to the front and arranged themselves on the sides of the officiator, Kakashi stepped forward, gently pulling Lee with him. They walked down the aisle as Lee’s vision tunneled. He smiled nervously, glancing from side to side as he looked at the friends and family that had come. All of his coworkers were there. Some of the skate program kids and their foster families had showed up. Tsunade and Naruto were even there. Lee avoided Naruto’s gaze, knowing that he would be doing something stupid. Ever since he had started working in the skate program, Naruto had mastered the skill of both making Lee laugh, and getting under his skin.

After what felt like forever, Lee had managed to successfully get to the front of the room, rolling Gai next to Kakashi’s chair and hugging his dads before stepping up to stand at the front. Tenten stood behind him, followed by Neji and Raito. Just as Lee turned to face the back of the room, the door next to the one he walked through opened.

Temari stepped through in a dress similar to Tenten’s. Her blonde hair floated around her shoulders, unlike her usual tight ponytails. Shikamaru walked next to her. They both held Shikadai’s hand between them as he giggled and smiled. Lee smiled at them, tears beginning to roll down his face as he realized that these people he loved so much were now officially going to be his family. Lee looked past them to finally see him. Gaara.

He walked down the aisle with his arm hooked in Kankuro’s. Though their foster parent would be there, Gaara felt it only made sense to have his big brother walk him down. Kankuro had cried when Gaara had asked, and he was crying now. Lee heard Neji laugh softly behind him. The smudgy purple eyeliner he wore had begun to trickle down his cheeks. But Lee barely noticed. He could only look at the love of his life.

Gaara looked stunning. His hair was its usual bright red. Gaara had even redyed it the week previous. He wore an elegant cream suit with a black belt. His vest had double buttons, making Lee wonder if it would be hard to remove later. His dress shirt had small black polka dots with a matching dotted handkerchief in his front pocket. His tie was the same color as Lee’s. He looked down to see his matching Vans and began to cry even harder. 

Here he was. His almost husband. And Lee could never be happier than he was in this moment.

Kankuro stepped up to Lee, sniffing as he looked Lee up and down sternly. After a few moments, he smiled, pulling Lee into a tight hug.

“Please take care of my brother,” he whispered into Lee’s ear.

“I will,” Lee whispered back with a sniffle.

Kankuro stepped back, his hands on Lee’s shoulders. He then joined Temari, pulling her close to him as Gaara stepped up to Lee.

“Hi, Lee,” he whispered, grabbing Lee’s hands. “You look so handsome.”

Lee sniffled, his vision now totally obscured with tears. “How could you say that I look handsome when you look like that?” he asked, squeezing his hands. “I love you so much, Gaara.”

“I love you, too, Lee.”

The officiant began to speak, announcing the purpose for the gathering. After only a few minutes of talking, Lee and Gaara said their vows. They wanted to keep things short and sweet. The vows were the most important part to them.

“Lee,” Gaara started, his voice quivering slightly. “Thank you for marrying me.”

Lee smiled as Gaara continued.

“As you know, I have experienced a lot of heart break in my life. By the time I had met you, I had vowed to dedicate myself to my family and my career only. I didn’t want to let anyone else in. I didn’t want to risk having to be hurt by someone I trusted ever again. But then you came along and I had no choice but to let you in.

“Lee, you are the brightest light. You have shone through every period of darkness I have ever experienced and somehow make the light periods even more radiant. I don’t know what I could have ever done to deserve you, but I would do it over again a million times. Lee, I vow to always be yours. I promise that I will always support you in your dreams, because you’re my dream. I can’t wait to live this life with you, and I guarantee that I will be around forever. I love you, Lee.”

Gaara smiled, squeezing Lee’s hands. Lee continued to cry, doing his best to not outright sob in front of everyone. Gaara’s words meant so much to him. He wished he could replay this moment in his mind forever. He drew a shuddery breath, trying his best to calm down so he could say his own vows. Gaara laughed lightly, letting go of one of Lee’s hands to pull the handkerchief out of his pocket and dab at Lee’s wet eyes. 

“I knew this would come in handy,” Gaara said. A small laugh went throughout the crowd. Lee joined them.

“Gaara, I love you, too. And I am so grateful that you love me,” Lee began.

“I have always admired your hard work and dedication to the things that mean the most to you. And I am so glad that I have become one of those things you are dedicated to. You have always gone the extra mile in our relationship. Knowing both of our backgrounds, it is hard for us to trust others. But you were willing to trust me. And that means so much.

“Gaara, I promise that I will always love you. I will always do my best to make you feel better when you are sad, and laugh with you when you are happy. I will be there for every hardship or celebration you experience. I promise to be there far past the golden stage of our youth. There is so much I could say, but I will end by saying that I promise to be your husband. I will dedicate my entire life to you. Thank you for being mine.”

Gaara smiled, dabbing once again at Lee’s still leaking eyes. “Of course,” he whispered.

They turned back to the officiant who smiled at them both. “As far as I am aware, there are no rings to be exchanged.”

Lee smiled, holding up his left hand and wiggling it. They both already had their rings on.

“Well then, I now pronounce you both to be married. You may kiss your husband.”

Lee turned to Gaara excitedly, his cheeks turning bright red at the thought of kissing in front of so many people. But, his embarrassment quickly dissolved as Gaara grabbed his suit, pulling him in for their first kiss as a married couple. Lee could hear Gai burst into sobs as the crowd cheered. He pulled back from Gaara, staring deeply into his eyes as his hand reached up to cup his cheek.

“We’re married,” Gaara said, his breath ghosting over Lee’s lips.

“We are!” Lee replied, grinning at Gaara. He pulled him back in for another deep kiss, breathing in the scent of his husband’s cologne. He pulled back, wrapping his arms around Gaara to give him a hug. 

“I love you, Gaara.”

“I love you, too, Lee.”

They looked out at the crowd as they clapped. Lee grabbed Gaara’s hand, holding it up and waving to everyone. They continued to clap as he looked around at all of the people who loved and supported him. He had no idea how he had gotten so lucky.

Lee and Gaara walked back down the aisle, this time together. Tenten walked back down after them, holding Raito’s hand. She was followed by Kankuro and Neji, then Shikamaru, Temari, and Shikadai. Kakashi got up and wheeled Gai out. Finally, Lee and Gaara were able to walk out of the room, hands clasped tightly while smiling at each other. It was time for the reception.

“One second, Lee. I need to go get my things. I’ll meet you at the car,” Gaara said, letting go of Lee’s hand.

“No way,” Lee said, pulling Gaara in by the hips and kissing him on the neck. “I want to spend the entire day with you. I will come, too.”

Gaara laughed, grabbing his hand and pulling him along. “Okay then. Let’s go.”

They walked into a small room, similar to the one Lee had been waiting in. While Gaara grabbed his things, Lee stared into the big mirror on the opposite side. His cheeks were red and his eyes had grown slightly puffy, but he was smiling. Had been for the past few hours. His suit was only slightly rumpled, but everything else was perfect. Gaara walked up next to him, wrapping his arms around his waist and settling his cheek against his chest. He looked into the mirror and smiled.

“We look really great together,” Gaara said.

“We do. And now we are married! Can you believe it?” Lee asked, kissing Gaara on the head. 

They stood for a few minutes longer, staring at each other in the mirror. Eventually, Lee pulled back, staring down at Gaara and tucking a hair behind his ear.

“We should probably go now, love. We do not want to be late to the reception.”

Gaara placed a gentle kiss on Lee’s lips. “It’s our wedding. We can arrive whenever we want.”

Lee laughed softly, then nudged Gaara to the door. They walked out hand in hand, making their way slowly to Lee’s car. He had been designated as the driver for the wedding and their honeymoon. Kankuro had been put in charge of Gaara’s car. Gaara was not thrilled about that fact. Everytime Kankuro borrowed the car, he returned it filled with fast food wrappers and energy drinks spilled on the seat. Hopefully that wouldn’t happen this time around.

Lee ran slightly ahead of Gaara, opening his door and gesturing inside excitedly. Once he had sat down, Lee raced to the other side of the car, sliding in and turning it on. Once he had reversed out of the space, he took Gaara’s hand, kissing the back of it over and over again, elated to finally be married. Minutes later, they pulled into the park where the skate program was held. This was where Gaara and Lee had first met. It had been an easy choice to have the reception there.

Lee hopped out of the car, rushing around to Gaara’s side and opening his door. He helped him out, locking the car as they walked to the large pavilion where people were all standing around. As they walked up, everyone clapped. Lee blushed, but smiled, looking back at Gaara who smiled somewhat tightly. The attention was starting to get to him, it seemed. 

“Lee! Gaara! Congratulations. What a beautiful expression of youthful love,” Gai said, rolling up to them while Kakashi followed.

“Congrats, kids. We’re happy to have you part of the family, Gaara,” Kakashi said, grabbing Gai’s shoulder.

“Thank you both for allowing me to marry your son,” Gaara responded, squeezing Lee’s hand. Lee squeezed back, tearing up only minutes after he had calmed down. His parents met the world to him. It was a relief that Gaara got along with them so well. 

Kakashi hugged them both, then allowed Gai to do the same.

“We’ll leave you kids alone now. Let us know if you need anything.” Gai smiled at them, then turned around. “Come, Kakashi! The dance floor awaits!”

“Gai, please don’t start,” Kakashi grumbled, following after him. Lee and Gaara laughed lightly. After that, they didn’t get a chance to get much further into the pavilion. People began to start crowding in a line behind the couple, eager to get their well wishes in. The first of which was Gaara’s foster dad, Baki. He and Lee had met a few times before, but they had never gotten to know each other very well. From what Gaara had told him, he was stern, but caring. He never opened up too much emotionally, but Gaara knew that he cared for him and his siblings. That was all that mattered in his opinion, especially seeing as his actual father was the exact opposite.

“Congratulations, Gaara. I am glad to see that you are so happy,” he said, his hands stiffly holding a glass of champagne. “Lee, I trust that you will take care of him?”

“Of course, sir. Thank you for coming.”

Baki stared at him for a few moments, then smiled at him tightly. “It was no problem. Though we don’t see each other often, Gaara and his siblings are my family. I am glad to see that they are in good hands.”

Lee smiled at him, then shook his hand. Tenten traipsed over to them, cutting in line with two drinks in her hand.

“Figured you guys would want something to drink while all of this is going on,” she said, gesturing to everyone behind her with one of the drinks. “Here, champagne for Gaara, sparkling punch for Lee.” 

They both smiled and thanked her, then turned their attention to Kankuro and Neji who were both standing, slightly offended at being cut off.

“Hey, congrats little man!” Kankuro said, reaching up to rub Gaara’s head. Gaara swatted him away as best as he could with a drink in one hand and Lee’s in his other. “So, you guys bumping uglies tonight or what?”

Lee turned bright red and began chugging the drink Tenten had given him. Neji slapped Kankuro before Gaara could.

“Don’t listen to this idiot. Congratulations, guys. I’m really happy for you.”

“Thank you, Neji,” Lee managed to choke out. Gaara smiled and nodded. They chatted for a few minutes longer, then one of Kankuro’s favorite songs came on.

“C’mon, babe, let’s go dance!” he said, grabbing Neji’s hand and pulling him away. Sai stepped up, holding the hand of a small, blond child.

“Hello, Gaara. Lee.” He smiled tightly at both of them. “Inojin, please say hello.”

“Hello,” Inojin said, looking up at them. Sai had adopted him only months before. They were still getting used to the father and son roles, but from what Gaara and Lee had both heard, Sai was doing an amazing job.

“Congratulations on your marriage. You both deserve each other.”

“Thank you, Sai,” Lee said, pulling him into a tight hug. Sai stiffened. He still hadn’t quite gotten used to physical contact yet. As Sai talked to Gaara, Lee bent down to talk to Inojin.

“Hello, Inojin. How are you?”

“Tired,” he replied, staring blankly at Lee. Lee laughed, ruffling his short hair. 

“Thank you for coming! I am so glad to see you here.”

“Sai made me come. But he said there would be cake, so I am happy to be here.” Inojin tugged on Sai’s pants. He stopped his conversation with Gaara and knelt down to his level.

“Yes?”

“Can we go dance? Shikadai is dancing with his parents and it looks like fun.”

Sai looked blankly over to where Temari and Shikamaru were holding Shikadai between them, kissing his cheeks at the same time. He looked back down to Inojin.

“Sure. Let’s go.”

He stood, smiling and nodding at Gaara and Lee before walking over to where Shikadai and his family were dancing. Sai greeted them, then picked Inojin up, dancing stiffly. Inojin didn’t seem to mind, though. He was having a blast. 

Lee was torn from the heart warming scene when a sudden flash of pink threw itself at him. He felt strong arms wrap around him. Sakura.

“Lee, congratulations! You look so handsome, I’m so proud of you!” she pulled back, socking him in the arm as she placed her other hand on her hip. “Gaara, you look great, too! Congrats!”

She threw herself around him, overwhelming him slightly as he patted her back with one arm. “Thank you for coming, Sakura.”

As she let go, and Lee’s other coworkers stepped forward, Lee put his arm around Gaara. He was worried that he was getting a little overwhelmed, but wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t want to walk away from everyone in line, but he also wanted to make sure that Gaara was enjoying himself. Luckily, Temari had noticed their little predicament. She walked over, putting herself in front of the next person in line as Lee’s coworkers walked away.

“Guys, I think it’s time to have your first dance. Let’s go.”

She grabbed both of their hands, pulling them toward the dance floor as Lee smiled at the people in line apologetically. She plopped them in a more secluded area.

“I thought we weren’t dancing until later,” Gaara said, leaning into Lee.

“It’s not actually time for your dance yet. I just figured you guys could use a break. Want a drink?”

“Yes please,” Gaara said hurriedly. Temari smirked, then ruffled his hair.

“I haven’t congratulated you yet, have I, squirt?” She pulled him in for a hug. “Well, congrats. I’m glad you have Lee. You already know how proud I am of you, right?”

Gaara nodded into her shoulder, breathing deeply. She let go, then hugged Lee, giving him the same well wishes. She then stepped away to get their drinks.

“Are you okay, Gaara?” Lee asked softly, rubbing his back.

“Yes, I’m fine. Just starting to get a little overwhelmed,” he replied, smiling at Lee.

Lee nodded. “I am sorry. We will sit here for a while. This party is for us, after all. Since we are married now,” he said in a sing-songy voice. He held up his left hand, showing Gaara his ring for the millionth time, a reminder of their relationship. They kissed softly, then Gaara rested his head on Lee’s shoulder. Temari walked up with the same glasses Tenten had brought earlier.

“Here you go, guys. Take a few more minutes, then we’ll do your first dance, okay?”

They mumbled their thank you’s, then slowly sipped on their drinks. A while later, the song changed, playing the soft melody that Gaara had played when he had proposed to Lee. It was time for their dance. 

“Are you ready, love? Would you like to wait longer?” Lee asked, his eyebrows scrunched in concern. “If you would like, we could skip it altogether.”

Gaara smiled and shook his head. “I wouldn’t miss our first dance for the world, Lee. Let’s go.”

Lee smiled at Gaara, offering his hand out. Gaara took it, setting his empty glass on the ground next to Lee’s. They walked into the middle of the large area, everyone around them growing quiet as Gaara held Lee’s hips. They swayed together slowly, enjoying each other’s closeness in spite of everyone around them. It was the first time they had slow danced since Gaara had proposed at the cactus garden. It made Lee thankful that Gaara rarely wanted to dance like this. It felt all that more special.

After they had danced, the rest of the night was filled with talking to people and enjoying moments together whenever they could. Hinata had made their wedding cake and they enjoyed it together, taking a few minutes to sit with their family. Lee looked around at all of the people he loved, his heart swelling in gratitude, not for the first time that night, and definitely not the last.

Once the sun had set and people started going home, it was finally time for Lee and Gaara to leave. Lee had wanted to stay to help clean up, but everyone forced them out, ensuring them that they would get their gifts home safely and clean everything. He was almost glad. Gaara was getting sleepy, and the temptation to just hold him in his arms was growing stronger. Lee gave everyone a hug, kissing Shikadai and Tenten on the forehead, then lifted Gaara up, carrying him to his car as he left.

After opening Gaara’s door, Lee walked over to his own, sliding inside and sitting next to his husband. They drove back to the hotel, talking softly as they spent their first night as a married couple. As they slept that night, Gaara lay on Lee’s chest. He cried, so happy to finally be married. He had been so lucky to find Gaara and he couldn’t believe that he was lucky enough to make him his spouse.

They left for the beach the next morning to finally start their honeymoon, renting a small house near the shore. They put puzzles together, made breakfast together, and played in the sand. Lee had saved all of the money he had earned from winning the championship and put it toward their time away. It was relaxing and just what the two needed. Even though Lee loved meeting new people, they kept to themselves. And Lee was fine with that. All he needed was Gaara.

Everything they had been through had turned out to be worth it. And no matter what happened, it would always be okay. Lee had Gaara, and Gaara had Lee. For the rest of their lives, they would be together. Through every challenge, anxiety, celebration, and mundane moment, they had each other. 

And nothing could ever change that.

The end.

**Author's Note:**

> This will be updating every Wednesday and Saturday. If I did weekly, we'd all be here for a long time and no one wants that. Thanks for the support!
> 
> I have also created a playlist based on the vibes for this fic if anyone is interested in that. Playlist based off of the entire JSB verse :)
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0nxcMBDZejaWfag6syNnFL


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